Effects of seasonality and a daily photo-protection upon some facial signs of Chinese women.
OBJECTIVE
These were two-fold: (i) to record through standardized pictures, the possible changes in 31 facial signs induced, in a 6-month period, by the periodical shift from winter to summer in a group of 43 Chinese women and (ii) to appraise the preventive effects of a strong photo-protective product, daily applied to the faces of an additional group (N = 40) of women of same age-range and presenting same severities of facial signs in winter.


METHODS
Facial signs (structural and pigmentation-related) were scored in blind by a panel of 12 experts from photographs taken under standard conditions. Scorings were performed under specific scales as established by a previously published referential Skin Aging Atlas, Volume 2, Asian Type.


RESULTS
A significant seasonal impact was found for more than 60% of facial signs, that is presenting a higher severity in summer in the unprotected group. Some changes are of a low or subtle extent, whereas some others show significant amplitudes. The latter comprise eight signs, among the 31, that became, far above scoring threshold, indeed affected during this 6-month period. The observed changes in six of these eight signs, in majority related to pigmentation, appeared efficiently alleviated in the photo-protected group.


CONCLUSIONS
The shift from winter to summer exposure is confirmed in altering some facial pigmented signs among Chinese women. Such changes appear much alleviated by a daily strong photo-protective regimen.
L'Oreal Research and Innovation, 9 Rue Pierre Dreyfus 92110, Clichy, France.
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Flament
L'Oreal Research and Innovation, 550 Jinyu Road Pudong District, Shanghai, China.
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Qiu
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012621:Seasons; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D013473:Sunscreening Agents
UV; clinical; daily solar exposure; facial ageing; photo-protection; season