Histological study of skin changes in photoaging

The appearance of the skin gives much information about one's age, race, health, occupation and even social class. Many factors can positively or negatively affect the skin's appearance. Some factors are internal e.g. genetic factors, general health, nutrition and psychological state, while others are external; the most important of them is UV radiation from the sun. Anyone can easily notice the differences in the appearance of sun-protected areas and sun-exposed areas of his own skin. By the passage of time, these differences become more clear and evident. Intrinsically aged skin is smooth, finely wrinkled and dry, while photoaged skin is rough with fine and coarse wrinkles, irregular hyperpigmentation and the most dangerous effect is the increased liability to skin cancers. This study was designed to compare the histological structure of sun-protected skin to that of sun-exposed skin in females. It was performed in Cairo-Egypt in 2007.