The median ages of the populations in the European Union, Japan, Canada, Singapore, Russia, South Korea, Australia, the United States of America and China are all significantly greater than the world average.1
Ageing individuals, many with significant discretionary income, have the resources (and often the will) to fight the ravages of ageing.
Skin ageing progresses through both chronologically driven metabolic processes and external insults of which the most common is sunlight exposure. As the epidermis ages, it becomes thinner and uneven pigmentation and age spots become more likely. Meanwhile, the dermis beneath is likewise thinning due to a decreasing number of fibroblasts, reduced collagen synthesis and increased collagen degradation. Its elastin network, which contributes to the elasticity of skin, is likewise disrupted as a result of a decrease in the synthesis of elastin and its associated proteins and an increase in elastin fibre degradation. The net result is skin that is lax, sags and wrinkles.
Many approaches are now available to maintain or restore a youthful appearance to skin.2 Some are surgical, such as eyelid or facelift procedures. Others are nonsurgical, including chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing and microdermabrasion treatments. Yet all (even the less economically advantaged) are able to make use of commercially marketed, topically applied anti-ageing products.
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