Which statement about aging skin is true?

• A. The elasticity of the skin decreases with age.
• B. The collagen content of the skin increases with age.
• C. The underlying muscle and tissues become thicker with age.
• D. The older adult's skin can be easily torn in response to mechanical trauma.

Answer: (A)

As skin ages, the elastic network and collagen framework in the dermis degrade, so the skin loses its ability to recoil after being stretched. This reduced elasticity is the most direct and consistent change you see with aging skin, making it sag and take longer to return to shape after movement. Collagen content does not increase with age; it tends to decline or become disorganized, so that option is not correct. The idea that deeper tissues thicken isn’t supported by aging biology, since thinning and weakening of the dermis are more common. While older skin is indeed more easily torn due to fragility from thinning and less elastic recoil, the clearest characteristic change captured in the statement is the loss of elasticity.