Aging and the Skin: The Geriatrician’s Perspective

摘要: With changes in life expectancy the last century, individuals tend to live longer. The of a female born today United States is more than 80 years and that male 74 years. even higher Italy, Sweden Greece. Over next 30 years, projections Europe indicate over 65-year age group would be double number today. aging population, there will also widening disease spectrum, with skin being no exception. Longevity, coupled development illnesses, deficiency states—exposure drugs, toxins environmental insults provides perfect backdrop for most exposed organ individual, skin, deteriorate. Skin disorders may obvious or not apparent at all, innocuous suggest fatal disease. impair quality inflict social consequences. While one should surprised many likely encountered geriatric wonders about role primary health provider geriatrician who takes care older decades. Most providers are experts diagnosis dermatological illness, leave alone develop meaningful differential diagnosis. All too often, tendency ignore lesion refer individual dermatologist. following broad perspective general considerations borne mind when evaluating patient abnormalities; it replacement excellent narratives available, some referenced here. Aging accompanied by all organs including skin. A simple way expressing physiological use 1% percent rule, functions peaking twenties thirties, gradual decline occurring each year. This easily measurable certain such as estimation creatinine clearance renal function. Changes body include water compartment, an increase lipid stores, muscle mass (sarcopenia) bone (osteoporosis) besides declines other organs. These reserves usually compounded processes comorbidity [1].