Factors influencing skin ageing in a Mediterranean population from Turkey.
BACKGROUND
Skin ageing is a continuous process, with intrinsic factors determining which extrinsic factors (chronic sun exposure and other environmental factors, particularly smoking) have the greatest effect.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of lifestyle and environmental factors on skin ageing in a Mediterranean population from Ankara, Turkey.


METHODS
In total, 574 (337 women, 237 men; age range 18-89 years) were enrolled into the study. Data were collected on age, gender, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), skin phototype, smoking status, consumption of alcohol (> 3 units/week) and coffee (> 1 cup/day), sun exposure, use of sunscreen and sunglasses, and involvement in sports and physical activities. The Daniell skin-wrinkling grading system was used as a marker of skin ageing.


RESULTS
We found that male gender, chronic sun exposure and number of pack-years of cigarette smoking significantly contributed to the formation of facial wrinkles. There was a negative correlation between facial wrinkling and the use of sunscreen and sunglasses and facial wrinkling (P < 0.001 for both). We did not find any significant association between wrinkling score and alcohol consumption, coffee consumption, sports participation or d skin phototype. Moreover, wrinkling score was significantly higher in patients with a BMI < 25 kg/m(2) than in patients with a BMI > 25 kg/m(2) (P < 0.018). Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted after adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, alcohol consumption, skin phototype, sun exposure, and use of sunglasses and topical sun protection. We found that gender and age were significantly associated with skin ageing (P < 0.014 and < 0.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, older age, male gender, low BMI, smoking and chronic sun exposure had a negative influence on skin ageing in a Turkish population.
Department of Dermatology, Ankara Etlik Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. drozlemekiz@yahoo.com.tr
O
O
Ekiz
G
G
Yüce
S S
SS
Ulaşli
F
F
Ekiz
S
S
Yüce
O
O
Başar
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014421:Turkey; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult
D003069:Coffee