Gender-related differences in the facial aging of Caucasian French subjects and their relations with perceived ages and tiredness

OBJECTIVES

(a) To assess and compare the changes in five facial signs with age between genders of Caucasian subjects and (b) to evaluate their links with perceived ages and tiredness.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Once zoomed from standardized digital photographs, five facial signs of 518 Caucasian French subjects of both genders and different ages (18-69 years) were graded by 15 experts, using a referential Skin Aging Atlas. A large naïve panel of 1000 French subjects (500 men and 500 women) was asked to attribute a perceived age and a degree of tiredness to 200 subjects (among the 518).

RESULTS

The severity of the facial signs increases with time at a linear-like rate. The changes in marionette lines significantly differ between genders, much more pronounced in women, and nasolabial fold was found more pronounced in men at older ages (>50 years). Before 50's, Forehead wrinkles present a slightly higher severity in men whereas at 50's women present more severe ptosis. Crow's feet wrinkles did not show significant changes. Perceived ages were found significantly correlated with the severities of the facial signs and the perception of tiredness was associated with perceived ages in men, but not in women older than 40 years. The gender-related perceptions from the naïve panel in both perceived ages and tiredness showed a low discrepancy. Interestingly, as for changes in facial signs, the upper-half face seems more affected for men and lower-half face for women; after 40 years, the naïve panel seems more focusing on the same areas to predict a perceived age.

CONCLUSION

As compared to the previous Chinese study, the present work reveals some slight ethnical-related differences, indicating that the facial signs of the lower face play a major role in the assessment of perceived age of both genders from different ethnicity.

Assessing the impact of an aerial chronic urban pollution (UP) on some facial signs of differently-aged Chinese men

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of an aerial chronic urban pollution (UP) on the severities of some facial signs of Chinese men living in two close but differently polluted Chinese cities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Standardized digital photographs were taken on 201 subjects from two cohorts of Chinese men (100 inhabitants of Baoding/very polluted and 101 inhabitants of Dalian/less polluted) differently aged (20-60 years) allowing a focus on 17 different facial signs. The latter were graded by 15 experts, using a clinical referential skin atlas. A questionnaire was filled by all subjects collecting their habits and uses with regard sun-exposures and skincare products. A naïve panel of 80 Chinese women, of comparable ages, attributed a perceived age to each subject under blind conditions.

RESULTS

These confirm previous data obtained on Chinese women, with a similar protocol, i.e. that some facial signs show an increased severity in the more polluted city. However, changes in facial signs, with age, are of a different pattern according to gender. In Chinese men, most signs show early onsets with however low age-related changes, inversely to those observed in women, at the exception of vascular disorders. Habits of sun-exposures and uses of skincare product were found totally similar in both cohorts, reinforcing the specific role of UP in the progressive changes of facial signs. Similar to the results previously obtained on Chinese women, men living in a more polluted city were judged older than those living in a less polluted aerial environment.

CONCLUSION

The present work confirms that a more severe UP increases the severities of some facial signs in Chinese men.

Solar exposure(s) and facial clinical signs of aging in Chinese women: impacts upon age perception

A new reference clinical atlas of facial signs dedicated to photoaging was applied to 301 Chinese women of various ages through standardized photographs. Such approach aimed at better describing the facial changes induced by both real/chronological age and sun exposure and their respective impact on two subcohorts of different behavior with regard to sun exposure. A total of 28 various facial signs were individually graded according to their severity by a panel of experts, and a perceived apparent age of each subject was assessed. Results showed that the severity of major signs significantly increased rather linearly with age, with a higher rate in sun-exposed subjects as compared with subjects who regularly avoid sun exposure. The severity of facial signs, all impacted by sun exposure, better correlated with perceived apparent age than real/chronological age. The protocol used in the present work, similar to that previously applied to two cohorts of French women, assigned a greater impact of sun exposure in the facial aging signs of Asian women – all clinical signs are influenced by extrinsic factors – as compared with Caucasian women of comparable ages, likely related to much more intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation.