Exploratory study of the typology of various grades of mature skin

Background: Post-menopausal skin aging has intrinsic as well as extrinsic origins, and this process induces important disparities of appearance and feeling within an age range. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify 3 grades of maturity of the facial skin of menopausal women. Material and Method: One hundred and fifty women aged between 50 and 80 (63 +/- 7 years) were enrolled. The investigations combined clinical scoring, biometrological measurements (corneometry, cutometry, digital photography, and 3D analysis by fringe projection), and questionnaires. Images elaborated from photographs and 3D views were scored by 2 investigators to classify the subjects according to 3 grades of skin maturity. Results: STEPDISC statistical analysis revealed that the most relevant variables to differentiate the maturity grades were elastosis, wrinkles on the cheeks, wrinkles on the upper lip, roughness, spots, and elasticity. Conclusion: The age does not reveal the degree of maturity of mature skin. Three grades of skin maturity in menopausal women, based on clinical and physiological patterns, have been differentiated in this study. Cosmetic treatments specifically adapted to the needs of menopausal women can therefore be developed.