Skin aging risk factors: A nationwide population study in Mongolia risk factors of skin aging.

The world population is aging and no country is immune to the consequences. We are not aware of any country-specific skin aging risk factors data for the Mongolian people. Thus, we aimed to study the risk factors associated with skin aging in the Mongolian population. A population-based cross-sectional study of 2720 study participants 18 years of age and older was performed evaluating the severity of skin aging based on cutaneous microtopography. Questionnaire data and skin physiological measurements were obtained. The odds ratios for skin aging grades associated with risk factors were estimated using ordinal logistic regression. Study participant's mean age was 45 years, ranging from 18 to 87. After adjustment for known risk factors, skin aging was associated with demographic risk factors such as increasing age (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.18-1.20), living in an urban area (aOR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.12-1.55) and lifestyle factors including being a smoker (aOR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.61), having a higher body mass index (aOR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06) and higher levels of sun exposure time (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.06) were significantly associated with higher skin aging grades. Having dry (aOR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.45-2.59) and combination skin (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.22-2.16) types were also independent risk factors associated with skin aging. Having very low skin surface moisture at the T-zone (aOR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.42-3.11) was significantly related to skin aging. Older age, urban living and toxic working conditions were independent demographic risk factors related to skin aging. Smoking, higher BMI, greater levels of sun exposure were significant lifestyle risk factors. Having a skin type other than normal was a physiologic risk factor for skin aging.

Association between serum melatonin and skin aging in an urban population of Mongolia.

BACKGROUND: Melatonin has been implicated in skin functions such as hair growth cycling and skin pigmentation. Furthermore, melatonin receptors are expressed in several skin cells. AIMS: To study the association between serum melatonin levels and skin aging grades among people aged 20-69 years in Ulaanbaatar city. PATIENTS/METHODS: We performed an analytical cross-sectional study that used parametric testing through analyses to test the relationship between melatonin levels and skin aging grades. A total of 946 people were assessed for skin aging using a moisture checker, sebum tape, and a digital camera. Blood samples were collected between 8:00 am and 10:00 am, and melatonin was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analyzer. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between age and skin aging grade (P < .001). A multiple factor analysis revealed that lower levels of melatonin in the serum increased with skin aging grade 4 (odds ratio [OR], 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4-8.0), (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 0.5-9.5), grade 5 (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 0.8-15.7), and grade 6. There were weak associations between melatonin levels and potential covariates (skin pigmentation and skin hydration) taken from the correlation matrix. There was a weak positive correlation between skin pigmentation and age (r = .28), a weak negative correlation between skin pigmentation and sleep status (r = -.20), and a weak negative correlation between skin hydration and age (r = -.27). CONCLUSIONS: Serum melatonin decreases with age, indicating that its loss may stimulate the process of earlier skin aging.