Background Many treatments aim to slow down or reverse the visible signs of skin aging and thereby improve skin quality. Measurement devices are frequently employed to measure the effects of these treatments to improve skin quality, for example, skin elasticity, color, and texture. However, it remains unknown which of these devices is most reliable and valid. Materials and methods MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Instruments were scored on reporting construct validity by means of convergent validity, interobserver, intraobserver, and interinstrument reliability. Results For the evaluation of skin color, 11 studies were included describing 16 measurement devices, analyzing 3172 subjects. The most reliable device for skin color assessment is the Minolta Chromameter CR‐300 due to good interobserver, intraobserver, and interinstrument reliability. For skin elasticity, seven studies assessed nine types of devices analyzing 290 subjects in total. No intra and interobserver reliability was reported. Skin texture was assessed in two studies evaluating 72 subjects using three different types of measurement devices. The PRIMOS device reported excellent intra and interobserver reliability. None of the included reviewed devices could be determined to be valid based on construct validity. Conclusion The most reliable devices to evaluate skin color and texture in ordinary skin were, respectively, the Minolta Chromameter and PRIMOS. No reliable device is available to measure skin elasticity in ordinary skin and none of the included devices could be determined to be designated as valid.

ging of the face is characterized by many changes in a broad spectrum of facial skin features (e.g., increased pigmented spots, increased wrinkle depth, and rosacea formation). Aged facial skin can be categorized into two types of aging: (1) intrinsic or programmed aging, and (2) extrinsic or photoaged aging. Intrinsic aging is caused by genetic influences related to the passage of time, whereas extrinsic aging is mainly caused by ultraviolet radiation or cigarette smoke. 1,2 Major alterations of both intrinsic and extrinsic aging occur in the dermal extracellular matrix. 3,4 In aged skin, there is a reduced collagen syntheses and increased collagen fiber fragmentation, resulting in collagen deficiency and therefore thinner skin. 3,5 Photoaged skin is often histologically characterized by increased epidermal thickness, damaged dermal connective tissue, and accumulation of disorganized elastin. 1,6 These extracellular matrix changes result in loss of elasticity and therefore formation of wrinkles over time.