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Age-related changes in skin topography and microcirculation

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Abstract

Skin topography and microvasculature undergo characteristic changes with age. Although several non-invasive bioengineering methods are currently available to measure them quantitatively, few publications have referred to their relationship with age in different anatomical sites. This study was carried out to observe the age-related changes of the skin topography and skin microcirculation. The microrelief was assessed with special processing software from scanning by interference fringe profilometry of silicone replicas performed on two sites (volar forearm and back of hand) on 50 female volunteers (aged 20–74 years who consisted of ten probands in each decade). The superficial vascular network of both sites was assessed by videocapillaroscopy, and the subpapillary vascular plexus was studied with laser Doppler flowmetry. Skin color, which is affected by blood flow, was observed by colorimeter. The skin roughness and the mean height between peak and valley increased with age. There were statistically significant differences between the evaluated sites. This study also shows that the capillary loops in the dermal papillae decrease but the subpapillary plexus increase with age. The interference fringe profilometry associated with videocapillaroscopy may be useful and accurate to measure the efficacy of medical or cosmetic products to delay skin aging.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by financial support of the China scholarship Council (2004851063).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cutaneous Engineering and Biology Laboratory and IFR 133 Cell and Tissue Engineering and Biology, University of Franche-Comté, 25030, Besançon, France

    Li Li, Sophie Mac-Mary, Jean Marie Sainthillier & Philippe Humbert

  2. Department of Dermatology, Saint-Jacques Hospital, Place Saint-Jacques, 25030, Besançon Cedex, France

    Li Li, Sophie Mac-Mary, Jean Marie Sainthillier & Philippe Humbert

  3. Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Wai nan guo xue xiang 37, 610041, Chengdu, China

    Li Li

  4. Optics Laboratory, PM Duffieux, CNRS UMR 6603, 25000, Besançon, France

    David Marsaut & Tijani Gharbi

  5. Recherche Clinique Prospective, L’Oréal Recherche, 90 Rue du general Roguet, 92583, Clichy Cedex, France

    Stéphanie Nouveau & Olivier de Lacharriere

Authors
  1. Li Li
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  2. Sophie Mac-Mary
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  3. David Marsaut
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  4. Jean Marie Sainthillier
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  5. Stéphanie Nouveau
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  6. Tijani Gharbi
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  7. Olivier de Lacharriere
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  8. Philippe Humbert
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Correspondence to Philippe Humbert.

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Li, L., Mac-Mary, S., Marsaut, D. et al. Age-related changes in skin topography and microcirculation. Arch Dermatol Res 297, 412–416 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-005-0628-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-005-0628-y

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