Thigh hopes

The skin on our legs changes in the same way as the skin on our face (becoming thinner, drier, less plump and less springy over time) with some unique challenges thrown in.

“Melanoma is more common on the legs in women than in men most likely due to our clothing choices,” says dermatologist Dr Nina Wines. Anyone with shifting hormones knows legs can become itchy, too. (It’s due to low oestrogen but the exact mechanism is unknown.)

Then there’s the mottled skin tone. “Changes start around age 35 to 45, with little brown spots (often sun-induced freckles called solar lentigos). White spots called guttate hypomelanosis also develop.”

However, if a “freckle” turns darker with fake tan it may be an age-related “barnacle” called seborrheic keratosis. “My patients really dislike these and removing them often requires a resurfacing laser. The white spots may be genetic or sun induced and there’s no fantastic treatment yet,” says Dr Wines.

After age 50 we start to see skin cancer and pre-malignant sun spots (actinic or solar lentigos) which are flat and pink with a little rough scale. They’re treated with dry ice, medicated creams or laser. Later, the skin becomes thinner, fragile and more easily bruised.

“Prevention, in this case sunscreen, is the best cure (not forgetting skin cancer checks) and it’s never too late to start,” says Dr Wines. Cellulite occurs when small amounts of fat start to pucker around chicken-wire shaped connective tissue. “There are some promising treatments on the horizon to loosen the connective tissue but we’re not there yet,” says Dr Wines.