How And Why Men Age Differently Than Women

From a young age, we learn boys and girls begin to mature at a different rate, with girls becoming more mature much more quickly than boys do. But does the same thing apply to men and women aging and growing old? We took a look at how men age differently than women, and why they age differently.

Men’s Hormones Last Longer

It is well known that the primary hormone in women is estrogen and the primary hormone in men is testosterone, however both men and women do carry both hormones, with women simply carrying more estrogen and men carrying more testosterone. When it comes to aging, women’s levels of the estrogen hormone begin to decline much earlier and much more quickly than men’s levels of the testosterone hormone do. This quicker decline in hormone levels is the reason that men seem to age much more slowly than women do. Women’s estrogen levels begin to decline around age 40 or 50, whereas men’s testosterone levels do not begin to decline until around age 55 or 60.

Men Literally Have Thicker And Healthier Skin That Age Slower

Men have the clear advantage when it comes to signs of aging in their skin. A man’s higher testosterone levels help make their skin about 25% thicker than a woman’s skin is. These higher levels of testosterone and thicker skin also cause men to produce more collagen, elastin, and sebum (oil) – which means men have an advantage with the most important components of firm, glowing, healthy, and youthful looking skin. Testosterone also stimulates the growth of facial hair in men which can help protect their skin from the damaging effects of the sun and air pollutants.

As we previously discussed, men’s hormone levels decrease later and at a slower rate than women’s hormone levels decrease, and this causes women’s collagen and elastin to break down more quickly, causing premature lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, and discoloration.

Men Experience More Hair Loss And At A Faster Pace

When it comes to our hair, men lose hair much more than women do overall, and at a much quicker pace than women do. It is natural for both men and women to lose some amount of hair and thickness to their hair as they age, but men tend to experience pattern baldness whereas women simply experience a thinning of their hair on the top and crown of their heads. Women’s hair loss will rarely progress to total baldness, whereas complete baldness is not uncommon in men. Approximately half of all men will experience some level of hair loss by the time they reach age 50, and about 80% of men show signs of male pattern baldness by age 70.

Women Live Longer

Another advantage that women have over men in the aging process is that their lifespans tend to be longer than men’s. According to the CDC, the average life expectancy for men in the U.S. is 76.4 years of age, while the average life expectancy for women in the U.S. is 81.2 years of age. There are many different speculations as to why women live longer than men ranging from women being able to manage and handle stress better, to women getting more regular health checkups, to men experiencing higher rates of mortality from cancer – but no matter what the reason may be, the World Health Organization agrees that women outliving men is the trend worldwide.

Whether you are a man or a woman, Brandon Essentials is here to help you make the most of your skincare routine and preserve your youth. Contact us today for a consultation with a licensed professional esthetician and develop a personalized skincare routine to meet your needs!