title: Forehead wrinkles: a histological and immunohistochemical evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wrinkles are associated with cutaneous aging especially on sun-exposed skin. Despite they are considered a major topic in cosmetic dermatology, very few reports have studied the specific histological and immunohistochemical changes characteristic for wrinkles.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to evaluate the histological and immunohistochemical changes of static forehead wrinkles in relation to surrounding photoaged skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsy specimens were obtained from the forehead wrinkles of 20 volunteers of Glogau's class III-IV wrinkles. Using histological and immunostaining methods coupled with computerized morphometric analysis, measurement of epidermal thickness and quantitative evaluation of total elastin and tropoelastin as well as collagen types I, III, and VII were performed for skin biopsies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the wrinkle site, there was statistically significant lower epidermal thickness (P = 0.001), elastin (P < 0.001), tropoelastin (P < 0.001), and collagen VII (P < 0.001) than the surrounding photoaged skin. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between the wrinkle site and adjacent photoaged skin regarding collagen type I (P = 0.07) or III (P = 0.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study detected some histological and immunohistochemical differences in the wrinkle site when compared to adjacent photoaged skin. This may help in understanding the pathophysiology of facial wrinkling as well as its ideal way of management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, STD's and Andrology, Al-Minya University, Al-Minya, Egypt.
authors.forename: Moetaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Domyati
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Medhat
authors.forename: Hossam M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Wahab
authors.forename: Noha H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Moftah
authors.forename: Ghada A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Nasif
authors.forename: Wael
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hosam
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D020405:Dermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004549:Elastin / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005546:Forehead / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D014333:Tropoelastin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014333:Tropoelastin; D003094:Collagen; D004549:Elastin
keywords: collagen; elastin; extracellular matrix proteins; photoaging; skin aging; wrinkles