title: Influence of age on the wrinkling capacities of skin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Comparisons of clinical assessment with measurement of physical parameters are rare.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To standardize the horizontal wrinkling of the skin in order to define a reference chart of the different wrinkling grades and to propose an interpretation of the clinical pattern in terms of skin layers thickness and mechanical parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A device allowing reproducible wrinkling of the skin was made. The skin folds created in this way were clinically assessed on women of different ages. Measurements of the mechanical properties of the skin were carried out by using a Torquemeter. Skin layers' thicknesses were measured by using in vivo Confocal Microscopy (CM) and Ultrasound Imaging (B mode).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Skin wrinkling grades increase versus age. Skin elasticity, extensibility and echogenicity decrease also versus age and the wrinkling grade. Wrinkling appears to be related to skin rigidification (for both stratum corneum and dermis) coupled to a certain weakening of the upper dermis (loss of echogenicity).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study points out the key role of the age-related alterations of the upper dermis in skin wrinkling capacities.
authors.affiliation: L'Oréal Recherche, 90 rue du Général Roguet, Chevilly Larue, 92583 Clichy cedex, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Batisse
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bazin
authors.forename: Thérèse
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baldeweck
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Querleux
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lévêque
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003880:Dermatology / Q000295:instrumentation; D020405:Dermis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D004548:Elasticity; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D014463:Ultrasonography