60+ years old: the sun, my skin's enemy No 1

Our skin changes when we reach the menopause, and ageing begins to up the pace. Unfortunately, it's not something we can stop in its tracks. As we reach retirement, we're still active and full of pep, but our skin has other ideas. It starts to sag, blemishes worsen, while the furrows around our noses and under our eyes deepen, and wrinkles around our mouths become even more visible. 

And that's not all: the texture of our skin also alters. It becomes thinner, drier and more fragile. And all the while our complexions fade, becoming almost transparent in the process.

The sun may be great for our morale, but it's a different story when it comes to our skin. It's well proven that sun exposure accelerates the ageing of our skin, and what's even more annoying is the appearance of liver spots. They crop up on our faces, hands and cleavages and are a sign that we've spent too much time in the sun; repeated exposure disturbs the skin's melanin production, which goes into overdrive and forms these pesky dark clusters.  Thankfully you don't need to avoid the sun completely at any age. 

But you must apply a good sunscreen. Opt for a high-protection, anti-blemish treatment that will protect you from UV rays, while inhibiting melanogenesis (melanin synthesis in melanocyte cells). This will lessen the appearance of liver spots and curb the emergence of new ones. And at night, apply a calcium-rich treatment, which will repair, strengthen and protect the epidermis.