The effects of skin aging vary according to ethnicity

The US population is expected to become older, with estimates indicating that by 2030, nearly 40% of Americans will be over 65 years old.

As people live longer, their skin does not only age chronologically or biologically, but is also exposed to environmental factors, such as sunlight, that can cause skin damage badociated with aging.

Neelam Vashi, MD, director of the Center for Ethnic Skin at the Boston Medical Center, published a review article in Dermatology clinics which deals with how aging occurs in patients and differences attributed to skin type, exposures and genetic factors.

For the journal, the researchers examined 41 papers published between 1970 and 2018 that were the subject of a peer review and focused on aging ethnic skin through PubMed. The data included in the articles demonstrate that all skin types show signs of damage due to exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays, including skin discoloration, collagen loss and / or skin cancer. .

Here are some key findings of the review:

• Melanin is an essential difference between light and dark skin types
• Colored patients are more likely to experience pigmentation changes (dyschromia)
• The main differences between fibroblasts (cells that promote wound healing and collagen production) account for the increased skin thickness of African American patients, resulting in the appearance of wrinkles several years later than their white counterparts.
• Patients of East Asian ancestry are more likely to suffer from hyperpigmentation, but wrinkles do not form as early in the aging process.
• Patients of Hispanic origin also have fewer wrinkles earlier in the aging process
• Caucasian patients (of European, North African and South Asian descent) generally have finer skin, wrinkles, skin elasticity and reduced lip volume.

"Aging is inevitable and every person will have a unique experience in the evolution of their skin as it ages," said Vashi, also an badociate professor of dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine. .

As a dermatologist, Vashi treats a large number of patients for various skin conditions related to aging. The treatment that she always recommends is the UV protection, which protects all skin types from the harmful rays of the sun. "Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, and using sunscreen is an extremely important practice to protect your skin," Vashi added.

Other treatments available for aging skin include:

• Topical agents, antioxidants, chemical peels and lasers can be effective in treating dyschromia
• Botulinum, toxins and soft tissue fillers can help treat wrinkles and sagging skin