Skin surface topography grading is a valid measure of skin photoaging

Abstract

Grading silicone impressions of skin surface topography is a highly reliable and a valid measure of photoaging and enables prediction of dermal elastosis in a population setting.

Associations between Silicone Skin Cast Score, Cumulative Sun Exposure, and Other Factors in the Ausimmune Study: A Multicenter Australian Study

“…This means that, for many of our participants, sunscreen use would have been uncommon during their childhood years, a time that appears particularly important for the development of skin damage. As with several other studies (12,28), age was an important predictor of skin damage, here measured by silicone casts. Our findings are very similar to those of Battistuta et al who found a 13% increase in the odds of higher cast score for every 1-year increase in age in a cohort of Queensland adults ages 18 to 79 years (12).…”

“…Silicone rubber casts of the back of the hand were taken as follows: a small amount of silicone liquid was mixed with catalyst and applied to the dorsum of the hand, avoiding major veins, visible skin blemishes, scars, etc. After 7 min, the cast was removed, allowed to dry, and stored in a labeled bag until grading (12). Silicone casts were graded by an independent grader who was blind to any other data on the participants.…”

“…Histologically, the latter includes loss and disorganization of collagen fibrils, thickening of the stratum corneum, stratum granulosum, and epidermis, and abnormal accumulation of elastin (11,12). In 1980, Beagley and Gibson developed a scoring system to quantify the degree of photoaging based on the pattern of lines on these skin casts (12). However, most previous studies have not been large enough to unravel the separate effects of chronological aging and cumulative sun damage on the development of photoaging.…”

“…However, most previous studies have not been large enough to unravel the separate effects of chronological aging and cumulative sun damage on the development of photoaging. Furthermore, although several researchers have examined previously the determinants of change in cast score (12)(13)(14)(15)(16), this has been confined to particular age or racial groups or single locations, possibly limiting the variation in the causative exposures.…”

“…For chronic sun exposure, silicone rubber imprints of the skin, usually on the back of the hand, have been used to record changes in skin texture thought to be a sign of photoaging (9). Histologically, the latter includes loss and disorganization of collagen fibrils, thickening of the stratum corneum, stratum granulosum, and epidermis, and abnormal accumulation of elastin (11,12). In 1980, Beagley and Gibson developed a scoring system to quantify the degree of photoaging based on the pattern of lines on these skin casts (12).…”