ABSTRACT
Photoaging describes those clinical histological and physiological changes that occur in the habitually sun-exposed skin of older individuals and represents a superimposition of chronic cumulative photodamage on the innate of intrinsic aging process. Chronological aging, or intrinsic aging, affects the skin in a manner similar to other organs and can best be defined as a loss of maximal functional capacity in tissues and organs throughout the body. This intrinsic aging has only a minor impact on the appearance of skin, while it has important functional implications. Most of the unwanted changes in skin appearance that occur with age are due to the process of photoaging. It has been estimated that photoaging accounts for more than 90% of the skin’s age-associated cosmetic problems, which in turn dramatically impact an individual’s self-esteem (1).
