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Geriatric Dermatology

»	How common are skin disorders in the elderly population?
»	What is intrinsic aging of the skin?
»	What is extrinsic aging of the skin?
»	How does intrinsically aging human skin vary from young skin under the microscope?
»	Why does skin wrinkle as we age?
»	Does smoking cigarettes accelerate skin aging?
»	What is solar elastosis?
»	What is nodular elastosis with cysts and comedones?
»	How do liver spots, solar lentigo, and lentigo senilis differ?
»	Why do elderly patients frequently develop bleeding into the skin on the dorsum of their hands and arms?
»	Advertisements in newspapers and magazines frequently tout products that “rejuvenate” the skin or make the skin younger. Is there truth to these claims?
»	What is the difference between superficial, medium, and deep chemical peels?
»	Are some sunscreens better than others in preventing wrinkles due to photodamage?
»	Which are the most common inflammatory skin diseases in the elderly?
»	Why are elderly patients prone to develop xerosis?
»	What is the best way to treat xerosis?
»	How common is chronic venous insufficiency in the geriatric population?
»	Explain the pathogenesis of chronic venous insufficiency.
»	How should you manage chronic venous insufficiency?
»	What is rosacea? How does it present?
»	Is rhinophyma related to alcohol abuse?
»	Name the most common types of skin tumors seen in the elderly.
»	What are seborrheic keratoses?
»	What are stucco keratoses?
»	What is sebaceous hyperplasia?
»	A 70-year-old man presents to your clinic with the sudden onset of hundreds of seborrheic keratoses. Is there any reason for concern?
»	Describe the methods for treating seborrheic keratoses.
»	An elderly man presents with a soft blue papule on the helix of his cheek and is concerned about malignant melanoma. What is the most likely diagnosis?
»	Is there a future in geriatric dermatology?

Which are the most common inflammatory skin diseases in the elderly?

• Xerosis (dry skin)
• Dermatophytosis (see Chapter 31)
• Contact dermatitis (see Chapter 9)
• Stasis dermatitis
• Seborrheic dermatitis (see Chapter 8)
• Rosacea

Farage MA, Miller KW, Berardesca E, Maibach HI: Clinical implications of aging skin: cutaneous disorders in the elderly, Am J Clin Dermatol 10:73–86, 2009.