Microcirculation disturbances in various skin ageing types

Abstract

According to modern views, microcirculation (MC) disturbances are an obligatory component of most inflammatory, dystrophic and involutive processes affecting skin cell function and structure.Aim. To study MC in ageing skin, according to different ageing types.Material and methods. The study included 135 patients with involutive skin changes - women aged 35-60 years (mean age 46,3?9,1 years). MC was studied by laser Doppler fiowmetry (LDF).Results. Comparing LDF and visual skin ageing assessment results, the following associations were observed: spastic MC was typical for small-wrinkle middle ageing type; MC disturbances affected arterioles and venules: increased arteriole tonus and venular stasis resulted in reduced MC index. In patients with deformation middle ageing type, atonic MC affected arterioles and capillaries: decreased arteriole tonus, increased blood volume in arterioles, resistant and nutritive vessel stasis. MC index was twice as high as in small-wrinkle ageing type (p<0,01). Late ageing type was characterised by spastico-congestive MC at all levels: increased myogenic tonus of arterioles, capillary and venular stasis.Conclusion. Skin ageing was characterized not only by skin dryness, increased transepidermal water loss and decreased skin elasticity, but also by substantial MC disturbances, specific for each skin ageing type.

Keywords

• microcirculation
• laser doppler flowmetry
• skin ageing types