Ann Dermatol.  2017 Aug;29(4):454-461. 10.5021/ad.2017.29.4.454.

Morphological Characteristics of Residual Skin Surface Components Collected from the Surface of Facial Skin in Women of Different Age

• Chalyk NE
• Bandaletova TY
• Kyle NH
• Petyaev IM

• KMID: 2388944
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2017.29.4.454

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Problems of skin aging and its prevention currently attract increasing attention with the growth of human life expectancy. The morphology of the stratum corneum (SC) is well known, but investigation of age-related changes of its structure is difficult in the absence of non-invasive sampling methods. The residual skin surface components (RSSC) that overlay the SC can be easily collected non-invasively.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine morphology of RSSC samples collected from the surface of facial skin of healthy female volunteers of different age.
METHODS
RSSC samples were non-invasively collected from 53 adult female volunteers (22 aged in the range 18∼25 years and 31 aged in the range 50∼73 years). The samples were analysed microscopically.
RESULTS
Distinct age-related changes were determined for lipid droplet size, corneocyte desquamation level and lipid crystal count. There was a significant (p=0.0006) decrease in lipid droplet size among older women. Similarly, significantly (p=0.0401) lower lipid crystal numbers were present in the older group. Conversely, corneocyte desquamation was significantly higher (p=0.0007) in older women. No age-related difference in microbial presence in the RSSC could be detected. Result patterns were generally similar to those previously found in male volunteers; however gender-related differences in the absolute values were revealed.
CONCLUSION
Non-invasively collected RSSC samples allow identifying age-related changes on facial skin surface. The results of this study highlight gender-dependence of distinct elements of age-associated impairment of epidermal barrier and can be employed for developing new approaches to prevent changes associated with skin aging.

Keyword

Aging; Corneocyte desquamation; Lipids; Skin surface; Women

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aging
Female
Humans
Life Expectancy
Lipid Droplets
Male
Skin Aging
Skin*
Volunteers

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Lipid droplet size measurement results in the two study groups. Group Y: young adult women, 18∼25 years of age, Group O: older (postmenopausal) women, 50∼73 years of age. (A) Scatter diagram showing individual result distribution. (B) Bar chart demonstrating group means and their comparison using t-test. Additional bars outlined by dotted lines show results for relevant male groups obtained in our previous study18. Error bars present 95% confidence intervals. YM: young adult men, OM: older men.

• 

  Fig. 2 Desquamated corneocytes observed in Group Y (young adult women, 18∼25 years of age) (A) and Group O (older [postmenopausal] women, 50∼73 years of age) (B) volunteers (H&E).

• 

  Fig. 3 Desquamated corneocyte counts in the two study groups. Group Y: young adult women, 18∼25 years of age, Group O: older (postmenopausal) women, 50∼73 years of age. (A) Scatter diagram showing individual result distribution. (B) Bar chart demonstrating group means and their comparison using t-test. Additional bars outlined by dotted lines show results for relevant male groups obtained in our previous study18. Error bars present 95% confidence intervals. YM: young adult men, OM: older men.

• 

  Fig. 4 Lipid crystal counts in the two study groups. Group Y: young adult women, 18∼25 years of age, Group O: older (postmenopausal) women, 50∼73 years of age. (A) Scatter diagram showing individual result distribution. (B) Bar chart demonstrating group means and their comparison using t-test. Additional bars outlined by dotted lines show results for relevant male groups obtained in our previous study18. Error bars present 95% confidence intervals. YM: young adult men, OM: older men.

• 

  Fig. 5 Microbial presence estimates (according to BPAS) in the two study groups. Group Y: young adult women, 18∼25 years of age, Group O: older (postmenopausal) women, 50∼73 years of age. (A) Scatter diagram showing individual result distribution. (B) Bar chart showing group means and their comparison using t-test. Additional bars outlined by dotted lines show results for relevant male groups obtained in our previous study18. Error bars present 95% confidence intervals. YM: young adult men, OM: older men.

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