Aesthetic and anatomic analysis of the aging skin

Abstract

One of the most interesting medical conditions that now afflicts the baby boomer generation is photoaging. Clinical signs of photoaging of the skin include rhytids, lentigines, keratoses, telangiectasia, loss of translucency, loss of elasticity, and sallow color. A systematic classification of patient photoaging types has been developed by the author: type I, "no wrinkles"; type II, "wrinkles in motion"; type III, "wrinkles at rest"; and type IV, "only wrinkles." The intent is to organize the discussion of therapies for photodamaged skin to permit rational comparisons of therapies and clinical results.