Methods for assessment of cutaneous ageing.
Summary Quantitative assessment of skin ageing is necessary for the evaluation of age modifying treatments. The particular method used must depend on the target of the intended treatment. It should also clearly distinguish between the degree of chronic environmentally-induced trauma to the skin (predominantly photoageing) and the intrinsic ageing process. However, it is clear that no one measure will be adequate to define the extent of cutaneous ageing. Broadly speaking, the techniques available are either invasive or non-invasive. Both have their uses. For example, topically applied retinoic acid 0.05% has been shown to increase epidermal thickness and decrease stratum corneum replacement time, using an invasive technique to determine the value for the first and a non-invasive method to evaluate the second. Virtually all aspects of skin structure and function change with age. However, because of the importance with regard to appearance, some measure of solar elastotic degenerative change should be made. Profilometry techniques and ultrasound determination of skin thickness, as well as measurement of skin colour, may all have their use for this purpose.
Marks
R
R
Department of Medicine (Dermatology), University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF4 4XN, UK.