Development of skin aging scale by using dermoscopy

Abstract

Background Some features of skin aging that cannot be detected by the naked eye can be determined more easily by dermoscopy. Therefore, we aimed to measure skin aging with dermoscopy. Methods The study was performed in Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, a tertiary care referral center. A total of 441 participants between the ages of 2088 (mean 48.4 +/- 17.7) were separated into six groups according to their age. All participant's facial sun-exposed areas were examined by dermoscopy in terms of telangiectasia, vascular changes, pigmentation changes, seborrheic keratosis, actinic keratosis, periorbital comedones and cysts, superficial- deep- criss-cross wrinkles as the signs of photoaging and scored with the help of dermoscopic photoaging scale (DPAS). The validity of the scale was assessed with DPAS by the evaluation of both the axillar and the gluteal regions, that were not sun exposed and photoaged, with DPAS. Results The scale was found to be highly reliable as Cronbach's coefficient was 0.756. Skin aging of patients from every decade was compared clinically with Glogou photoaging scale and Monheit-Fulton photoaging index and significant correlation was calculated as 0.773 and 0.774, respectively. An increase in photoaging scores from young people toward elders according to their ages was observed and the same linear difference between their mean values was detected. Conclusion DPAS is a reliable and valid diagnostic tool that can evaluate photoaged skin quantitatively by the help of objective criteria so can be used to evaluate the effect of preventive and therapeutic applications for skin aging.