Dermatoporosis: a further step to recognition

Top weapons in skin aging and actives to target the consequences of skin cell senescence

Skin aging has long been considered a purely cosmetic problem. However, as life expectancy increases, skin aging is taking on a functional dimension that goes beyond cosmetics and appearance. Preventive or therapeutic strategies are needed to target cellular senescence, a key process underlying the alterations in skin function and appearance that occur with aging, as well as to address the age-related skin changes associated with 'dermatoporosis' and chronic skin insufficiency/fragility syndrome. Thus, given the need for effective anti-aging products that improve both the appearance and function of the skin, it is essential to distinguish active ingredients that have been proven to be effective, among the large number of available over-the-counter cosmeceuticals. This brief review focuses on a core group of topical actives, describing their clinical effects on senescence and aging, and their molecular mechanisms of action. These actives include hyaluronic acid, which has hydrating and viscoelastic properties and has been shown to reduce skin atrophy; retinaldehyde, which activates retinoid receptors and increases cutaneous elasticity; vitamins C and E, which provide stable oxidative protection; and niacinamide, which reduces inflammation and mitigates the effects of senescence.

The Skin and Inflamm-Aging

With its unique anatomical location facing both the external and internal environment, the skin has crucial functions, including shielding the body from damage caused by ultraviolet radiation and chemicals, preventing water loss, acting as a primary barrier against pathogens, participating in metabolic processes like vitamin D production and temperature control and relaying information to the body through sensory and proprioceptor nerves. Like all organ systems, skin is known to undergo multiple changes with aging. A better understanding of the mechanisms that mediate aging-related skin dysfunction may allow the creation of targeted therapeutics that have beneficial effects not only on aged skin but also on other organs and tissues that experience a loss of or decline in function with aging. The skin is the largest organ of the body and can contribute to serum inflammatory mediator levels. One alteration known to occur with age is an impairment of skin barrier function; since disruption of the barrier is known to induce inflammation, skin may be a major contributor to the sustained, sub-clinical systemic inflammation associated with aging. Such "inflamm-aging" may underlie many of the deleterious changes observed in aged individuals. This review explores the role of age-related skin changes, skin inflammation and inflamm-aging.

Osteoporosis and dermatoporosis: a review on the role of vitamin D

Osteoporosis (OP) and Dermatoporosis (DP) are expressions of the aging process at the skin and bone levels, respectively. Both conditions are associated with increased morbidity for elderly people, and this requires necessary interventions. They share many common risk factors; among these, vitamin D (VD) deficiency appears to have a role. VD is involved in either disease with many mechanisms, among which immunomodulation. VD deficiency has been linked to OP because it inhibits the body's capacity to absorb calcium and maintain optimal bone health. Available evidence suggests that proper vitaminosis D also appears to be vital in preventing skin age-related issues. DP is often seen in elderly individuals, particularly those with long-term sun exposure and a history of chronic sun damage. VD deficiency can be linked to DP, since its involvement in collagen production, epidermal barrier function, inflammation regulation, wound healing, and sun protection. Aim of this review is to summarize the most updated existing evidence on the role of VD in the development of fragility syndromes such as DP and OP and the possible benefits of VD supplementation as a simple and harmful weapon against aging.

Skin Graft Donor Site Healing among Elderly Patients with Dermatoporosis - A Case Series

We reviewed donor site wound healing among morbid ≥65-year-old patients after split-thickness skin graft (STSG) harvesting. Patients were treated for a pretibial laceration or hematoma in Kymenlaakso Central Hospital, Finland, between 2015 and 2019. Twelve morbid patients with a mean Charlson Comorbidity Index of 7.1 (range 4-12) and a mean age of 80.6 years (range 69-91) were studied. Nine patients were female. Eight had a chronic cutaneous fragility syndrome, eg, dermatoporosis. All donor site areas were located on the thigh and were less than 2% TBSA. One donor site infection occurred. STSG integration on the pretibial wound bed was successful with all patients, and none of the patients needed further operative treatment. Graft thickness varied between 0.010 to 0.014 inches. STSG donor sites healed within the normal range of 21 days in 50% of patients. Among two patients, healing took 25 days, and among four, 37 to 97 days. All donor sites healed via local wound care without the need for regrafting. 4Our study indicates that harvesting STSG from elderly and morbid patients with poor skin condition is safe and does not result in significant complications. Prolonged donor site healing can occur, which can be managed with regular local wound care.

Pretibial hematomas – a real-world single centre study

We analyzed treatment, outcome, and risk factors for skin necrosis of 60 patients aged ≥65 years treated for a pretibial hematoma in the province of Kymenlaakso, Finland, between 2015 and 2019. Reviewing patients’ medical records revealed two cohorts with distinct trajectories in outcome. By comparing the cohorts, we were able to discover factors associated with the prognosis for generating skin necrosis and the need for operative treatment.

Thirty-five (58.3%) patients healed without any management, and 25 (41.7%) patients were treated with hematoma evacuation, mostly for having generated skin necrosis (72%). Among operatively treated patients’ descriptions, such as “parchment skin” and “poor skin quality” were observed frequently (80%) in the medical records. This pathology, dermatoporosis, was statistically significant (p<0.0001) among patients with a complicated outcome of a pretibial hematoma. In addition to dermatoporosis, patients with hematoma evacuation were more fragile having a higher Charlson comorbidity index (p = 0.005), a greater need for a walking aid (p = 0.0002), and overall compromised independency (p = 0.033). Hospitalization and rehabilitation were prolonged in the operatively treated cohort, 6.4 days vs. 2 days, respectively.

We recorded a delay in the diagnosis and hematoma evacuation (mean 6, range 0–51 days). In addition, six (10%) patients were misdiagnosed for having erysipelas or deep vein thrombosis indicating that pretibial hematomas are not recognized. Skin quality should be documented, and prompt surgical hematoma evacuation should be executed in fragile patients with dermatoporosis. This could prevent skin necrosis and the further need of wound care or surgical care, long hospitalization, and rehabilitation periods.

Deep dissecting haematoma in patients with dermatoporosis: implications for home nursing

Dermatoporosis is a chronic cutaneous insufficiency/fragility syndrome with a high prevalence in older adults. Dermatoporotic skin becomes thin and fragile and tends to tear. It may lead to deep dissecting haematomas (DDHs) as a final stage of dermatoporosis, which is a clinical emergency. Management can be challenging, as patients with lower-limb haematomas are frequently older and affected by multiple comorbidities, or are probably on medications that negatively influence wound healing. This article describes the essential role of nurses in prevention, early recognition and wound management of DDHs in patients with dermatoporosis.

Morphological Analysis of Dermatoporosis by in vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy and Ultrasonography

Background

Dermatoporosis is defined as a chronic cutaneous fragility and insufficiency syndrome. It results from chronological aging, long-term and unprotected sun exposure, genetic factors, or the chronic use of topical and systemic corticosteroids. There is currently a lack of noninvasive tools for the evaluation and quantification of dermatoporosis.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to define the dermal-epidermal modifications which characterize dermatoporosis using noninvasive methods such as in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and ultrasound (US).

Subjects and Methods

Seventeen patients with stage I dermatoporosis and 14 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The posterior surface of the right forearm was analyzed in all subjects, and stellate pseudoscars and senile purpura in patients with dermatoporosis were analyzed when possible. We used a commercially available reflectance confocal microscope and measured different histometric parameters (thickness of the epidermis and its different layers, cellular architecture, aspect of the dermal-epidermal junction and the dermis). We also used a commercially available US skin system to define the dermal-epidermal thickness (DET) in all subjects.

Results

The DET measured with the US skin system was significantly different between the two groups: mean value 1.19 mm (volunteers group) versus 0.81 mm (patient group). The significant differences measured with RCM were (1) epidermal thickness, (2) number of dermal papillae, and (3) thickness of solar elastosis. Stellate pseudoscars are also characterized by a modified dermis, with a linear organization of the collagen bundles.

Conclusion

US and in vivo RCM are useful tools for the diagnosis of dermatoporosis. Dermal-epidermal atrophy, reduction of dermal papillae/area, and the thickness of dermal elastosis seem to be the major histometric parameters which characterize dermatoporosis.

Induction of Hyalurosome by Topical Hyaluronate Fragments Results in Superficial Filling of the Skin Complementary to Hyaluronate Filler Injections

Hyaluronate (HA) plays a major role in the process of skin aging. The main use of HA has been for hydration and dermal fillers. Another approach, based on the discovery of the signaling effects of topically applied hyaluronate fragments (HAF), has subsequently been developed. It has been thoroughly demonstrated that topical applications of HAF of a very specific size induce HA filling of the epidermis and the upper dermis. These effects are particularly visible in dermatoporotic patients. Moreover, the combination of HA-based filler injections with topical applications of HAFs/retinoids showed an optimization of the effects of HA. Thus, a new classification of the different effects of HA is proposed here.

Neuroendocrine Aspects of Skin Aging

Skin aging is accompanied by a gradual loss of function, physiological integrity and the ability to cope with internal and external stressors. This is secondary to a combination of complex biological processes influenced by constitutive and environmental factors or by local and systemic pathologies. Skin aging and its phenotypic presentation are dependent on constitutive (genetic) and systemic factors. It can be accelerated by environmental stressors, such as ultraviolet radiation, pollutants and microbial insults. The skin’s functions and its abilities to cope with external stressors are regulated by the cutaneous neuroendocrine systems encompassing the regulated and coordinated production of neuropeptides, neurohormones, neurotransmitters and hormones, including steroids and secosteroids. These will induce/stimulate downstream signaling through activation of corresponding receptors. These pathways and corresponding coordinated responses to the stressors decay with age or undergo pathological malfunctions. This affects the overall skin phenotype and epidermal, dermal, hypodermal and adnexal functions. We propose that skin aging can be attenuated or its phenotypic presentation reversed by the topical use of selected factors with local neurohormonal activities targeting specific receptors or enzymes. Some of our favorite factors include melatonin and its metabolites, noncalcemic secosteroids and lumisterol derivatives, because of their low toxicity and their desirable local phenotypic effects.

Recognising and managing age-related dermatoporosis and skin tears

Dermatoporosis is a chronic skin fragility syndrome, caused by age and environmental factors. People with dermatoporosis have skin whose protective mechanical function is reduced and which has a decreased tolerance for friction and shearing forces. Skin tears are another clinical consequence of age-associated skin vulnerability and people with dermatoporosis are at increased risk of skin tears. Dermatoporosis may also delay the healing of skin tears, making it vital that healthcare professionals are aware of this condition. Skin tears have profound effects on the health and well-being of older people, and these kinds of injuries are being seen more frequently in clinical practice as the average age of the population increases. The treatment of skin tears in three older people with dermatoporosis is discussed and the clinical decisions made in each case.