Aging in Skin of Color: Disruption to Elastic Fiber Organization Is Detrimental to Skin’s Biomechanical Function

Abstract

Skin aging is a complex process involving the additive effects of time-dependent intrinsic aging and changes elicited via skin's interaction with the environment. Maintaining optimal skin function is essential for healthy aging across global populations; yet most research focuses on lightly pigmented skin (Fitzpatrick phototypes IeIII), with little emphasis on skin of color (Fitzpatrick phototypes VeVI). Here, we explore the biomechanical and histologic consequences of aging in black African-American volunteers. We found that healthy young buttock and dorsal forearm skin was biomechanically resilient, highly elastic, and characterized histologically by strong interdigitation of rete ridges, abundant organized fibrillar collagen, and plentiful arrays of elastic fibers. In contrast, intrinsically aged buttock skin was significantly less resilient, less elastic, and was accompanied by effacement of rete ridges with reduced deposition of both elastic fibers and fibrillar collagens. In chronically photoexposed dorsal forearm, significant impairment of all biomechanical functions was identified, with complete flattening of rete ridges and marked depletion of elastic fibers and fibrillar collagens. We conclude that in skin of color, both intrinsic aging and photoaging significantly impact skin function and composition, despite the additional photoprotective properties of increased melanin. Improved public health advice regarding the consequences of chronic photoexposure and the importance of multimodal photoprotection use for all is of global significance.

Device-related pressure ulcers: SECURE prevention

“…Furthermore, skin may be at higher risk of damage because of age-related changes. 126 Risk assessment should focus on the body site onto which the device has been or will be applied. However, patients with oedema or lymphoedema may be at risk, despite having skin that is generally in good condition.…”

SnapshotDx Quiz: October 2019

“…In this study, Langton et al (2019) utilized a Cutometer to assess the effects of aging on the biomechanical properties of skin of color. Two groups of African American patientsyoung (23.9 AE 3.6 years) and aged (70.8 AE 5.9 years)participated in the study.…”

“…These results are consistent with those of previous studies (Boyer et al, 2009;Cua et al, 1990) that demonstrated worsening elasticity in older adults. Langton et al (2019) propose that the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) flattening and the changes in dermal elastic fiber organization that occur with age could contribute to loss in elasticity, as they result in a weakened dermal-epidermal interface and an epidermis that is less resistant to shearing forces (Lavker et al, 1987).…”

“…Staining of chronically photoexposed skin at the dorsal forearm showed significant changes; abundance of fibrillin-rich microfibrils was significantly reduced at the DEJ (P < 0.001), and fibulin-5 was nearly completely gone at the DEJ and throughout the papillary dermis (P < 0.001). Because the loss of these elastic fibers was found in biopsies taken from individuals whose aged skin had demonstrated impairment in elasticity and other biochemical functions, Langton et al (2019) postulated that the former could have contributed to the latter.…”

“…2. According to the article by Langton et al (2019), what Cutometer-determined biomechanical property increased in photoexposed but remained unchanged in photoprotected aged skin of color? See following pages for detailed answers.…”