From Age 60: 5 Often-Overlooked Areas to Wash Carefully
Getting older doesn’t mean you need to shower constantly. In fact, skin becomes thinner and drier with age, and dermatologists recommend short, warm showers and gentle, fragrance-free cleansers rather than aggressive scrubbing.
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American Academy of Dermatology
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Here are five areas worth paying particular attention to:
1. 🦶 Between your toes
Moisture trapped between the toes can encourage fungal and other skin problems. Wash gently and dry thoroughly between each toe after bathing.
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American Academy of Dermatology
2. đź‘‚ Behind and around the ears
This area can accumulate sweat, skin oils, and debris. Gently clean behind the ears and around the outer ear—but don’t put cotton swabs or other objects deep into the ear canal.
3. 🧼 Skin folds
Pay attention to areas where skin touches skin, such as the armpits, groin, and abdominal folds. Wash gently and dry these areas carefully. Moisture trapped in folds can increase the risk of irritation and infection.
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American Academy of Dermatology
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4. 🦵 Feet and heels
Feet can be overlooked, particularly when mobility makes them difficult to reach. Clean them gently and inspect for cracks, blisters, redness, swelling, or sores. This is especially important for people with diabetes.
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American Academy of Dermatology
5. 🍑 Buttocks and the area around the anus
Thorough but gentle cleansing helps remove sweat and stool residue and can reduce irritation and odor. Avoid aggressive scrubbing or heavily fragranced products, which can irritate aging skin.
One important change after 60
Don’t interpret this as a recommendation to scrub your entire body harder or shower more often. By around age 60, dry skin is extremely common. Dermatologists recommend lukewarm water, showers of about 5–10 minutes, gentle cleansing, and moisturizer applied soon after bathing.
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American Academy of Dermatology
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Bottom line: Clean the areas that collect sweat, moisture, oils, or debris—but be gentle. At this age, protecting the skin barrier is just as important as getting clean.
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