Photoaging in skin of color

Abstract

Chronological (intrinsic) aging is that associated with the passage of time and a consequent decline in biological functions. This form of aging has a signature in the skin, evident clinically as fine wrinkling and/or skin laxity. Photoaging occurs concurrently with chronological aging but only on sun-exposed sites, and is induced by repeated exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Chronically, sun-exposed skin has distinctive changes including coarse wrinkles, dyspigmentation, telangiectasias, and a propensity to develop precancerous lesions and subsequent skin cancer. Anecdotally, people of skin of color tend to age better than their white counterparts. At the same age, people with black skin are thought to have fewer wrinkles compared to those with lighter skin.1 Differences in the structure and physiology of skin of color may account for observed differences in incidence and presentation of photoaging in people of color. In darker skin, the melanosomes are larger, more oval, and nonaggregated and along with a higher total melanin content, may confer an increased natural photoprotection from UV radiation.2 © 2009 Springer-Verlag London.