Fortunately, treatment options have greatly expanded and demonstrated that some signs of aging and photoaging can be reversed. Dr. Barbara Gilchrest, Professor and Chairperson, Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, spoke today about aging skin at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy '97 Summer Meeting, at the New York Hilton and Towers. Factors contributing to skin aging can be divided into two distinct components - intrinsic aging and photoaging. Intrinsic or chronologic aging of the skin occurs as a result of genetically programmed factors. All components of the skin are damaged by chronic sun exposure.
Consequences range from sunburn to skin cancers.
Recently the effects of photodamage in mainly temperate climates such as our own have been more fully recognized. Everyday activity adds up to significant exposure, more over a lifetime than just vacation trips. Lifestyle too, is an important factor. This damage is preventable by avoiding the sun and using sunscreen. Recent data suggests tretinoin may even prevent on-going damage to skin's collagen and elastin fillers that occurs during brief daily sun exposure.