Identification of the Age Related Skin Changes Using High-Frequency Ultrasound

Skin aging has become an area of increasing research interest in dermatovenerology. Changes in the skin associated with aging can be detected by high - frequency 20 MHz ultrasonography, which is a useful diagnostic technique allowing reliable imaging of cutaneous and superficial subcutaneous structures.

Skin thickness is considered an objective parameter providing assessment of the influence of endogenous or exogenous factors, such as ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) rays. Except for the changes in the skin thickness, there are also specific structural changes in the dermis of older subjects - subepidermal low echogenic band (SLEB) - that is a manifestation of photoaging severity. The main aim of this study was to identify and characterize the specific ultrasonographic changes of the cutaneous structure related to age and degree of photo exposure (the presence and measurement of SLEB).