Assessment of dermatoheliosis with reflectance confocal microscopy

Dermatoheliosis increases the risk of developing malignant epithelial skin tumors and locates on aesthetically critical areas. Therefore there is a need for noninvasive objective technique capable of in vivo assessing the cumulative effect of UV-radiation, the severity ofphotoaging and the risk of epithelial skin cancer. In our study we aimed to determine the morphological changes occurring on photoaged skin and early signs of keratinocyte dysplasia by means of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). Material and method. The samples of facial skin of 40 volunteers from distinct groups, determined by Glogau scale (grades I-IV), have been examined with RCM. Results. The presence of irregular honeycomb pattern is increasing with progressing of dermatoheliosis. Mottled pigmentation and polycyclic papillary contours were determined in grade II-IV Glogau individuals, in the number of cases there were not demonstrated any pathological skin changes in analyzing area. Dermal structures are significantly transforming: reticulated collagen fibers are replacing with coarse collagen structures, huddled collagen and curled bright structures. RCM is capable of identifying early signs of sun damage and keratinocyte dysplasia in skin in the absence of any clinically visible symptoms.

dermatoheliosis, reflectance confocal microscopy, non-invasive skin examination