Influence of aging on the quality of the skin of white women: the role of collagen.

PURPOSE Evaluate the influence of aging on the quality of the skin of white women, analyzing the dermal collagen. METHODS Pre-auricular flaps were collected for histological and morphometric analysis of 218 white women who underwent spontaneous facial aesthetic plastic surgery. Picrosirius ultrared stain was used for analysis and quantification of collagen in five age groups (<40 years, 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, 60 to 69 years and 70 to 79 years) . RESULTS Histological analysis showed changes suggestive of skin aging (fragmentation and disorganization of collagen fibers), especially in patients over 60 years. There were no significant changes in the relationship of age with the thickness of the dermis and epidermis, but there was with the percentage of the collagen I, III and total (p<0.001), which decreased with increasing aging. CONCLUSION There is reduction in collagen with increasing age, and an increase in its degradation, leading to fragmentation of the fibers.