Fitzpatrick Skin Phototypes | by Dr . Alpesh Desai
Fitzpatrick and Aging
All VI Types of Fitzpatrick increase sun-induced signs of aging . According to research conducted by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology , “ The hallmark signs of skin aging include abnormal pigmentation , wrinkling , and the loss of elasticity . Previous studies have reported that the loss of skin elasticity correlates with aging on multiple sun exposed skin regions . We used a noninvasive instrument ( Cutometer Courage + Khazaka Electronic GmbH , Cologne , Germany ) that measures mechanical properties of the skin to determine skin elasticity in 90 volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin type I-VI from age 30-69 . As predicted , we observed that the loss of skin elasticity correlated with age . This trend was also observed with Fitzpatrick skin type ( lower skin elasticity in lower Fitzpatrick skin type ). However , volunteers in the highest age range ( 60-69 ) with Fitzpatrick skin type ( V-VI ) had better skin elasticity than volunteers in the mid age range ( 46-59 ) with Fitzpatrick skin type ( I-II ). With these findings , we conclude that the loss of skin elasticity is more dependent on Fitzpatrick skin type than chronologic age . The signs of skin aging are largely attributed to photodamage caused by UV exposure more so than chronological aging . This finding demonstrated that the innate photoprotection associated with Fitzpatrick skin type greatly impacts biomechanical properties in skin beyond the differences measured in chronologic age . As skin mechan-
46 iS Skin Source