The influence of gender and age on the thickness and echo-density of skin.
BACKGROUND
The more recent use of ultrasound scanning allows a direct measurement on unmodified skin, and is considered to be a reliable method for in vivo measurement of epidermal and dermal thickness. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of gender and age on the thickness and echo-density of skin measured by high frequency ultrasonography (HFUS).


METHODS
This study was carried out on 30 healthy volunteers (17 female, 13 male) with age range of 24-61 years old. The thickness and echo-density of dermis as well as epidermal entrance echo thickness in five anatomic sites (cheek, neck, palm, dorsal foot, and sole) were measured using two different types of B mode HFUS, 22 and 50 MHz frequencies.


RESULTS
The epidermal entrance echo thickness and thickness of dermis in males were higher than females, which was statistically significant on neck and dorsum of foot. The echo-density of dermis was higher in females on all sites, but was only statistically significant on neck. The epidermal entrance echo thickness and thickness of dermis in young age group was statistically higher than old group on sole and dorsal of the foot respectively. Overall, the skin thickness decreased with age.


CONCLUSIONS
High frequency ultrasonography method provides a simple non-invasive method for evaluating the skin thickness and echo-density. Gender and age have significant effect on these parameters. Differences in study method, population, and body site likely account for different results previously reported.
Center for Research & Training in Skin Diseases & Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Clinical Trial Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
A
A
Firooz
Center for Research & Training in Skin Diseases & Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
A
A
Rajabi-Estarabadi
Center for Research & Training in Skin Diseases & Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
H
H
Zartab
Center for Research & Training in Skin Diseases & Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
N
N
Pazhohi
Center for Research & Training in Skin Diseases & Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
F
F
Fanian
Clinical Trial Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
L
L
Janani
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D003720:Densitometry / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012867:Skin / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
age; echo density; gender; skin thickness; ultrasonography