Influence of facial skin ageing characteristics on the perceived age in a Russian female population

Synopsis ObjectiveThe desire for a youthful look remains a powerful motivator in the purchase of cosmetics by women globally. To develop an anti-ageing solution that targets the need of end consumers, it is critical to understand which signs of ageing really matter to them and which influence their age perception. To date, such research has not been performed in a Russian population. The aim of this work was to identify the signs of ageing that contribute the most to an older' or younger' look for Russian women aged 40years old and above. MethodsThe age of 203 Russian female volunteers was estimated from their standard photographs by a total of 629 female naive assessors aged 20-65years old. Perceived age data were related to 23 facial skin features previously measured using linear correlation coefficients. Differences in average severity of the correlating skin ageing features were evaluated between women perceived older and women perceived younger than their chronological age. Volunteers' responses to a ranking question on their key ageing skin concerns previously collected were analysed to provide an additional view on facial ageing from the consumer perspective. ResultsNine facial skin ageing features were found to correlate the most with perceived age out of the 23 measured. Such results showed the importance of wrinkles in the upper part of the face (crow's feet, glabellar, under eye and forehead wrinkles), but also wrinkles in the lower half of the face associated with facial sagging (upper lip, nasolabial fold). Sagging was confirmed of key importance to female volunteers aged 41-65years old who were mostly concerned by the sagging of their jawline, ahead of under eye and crow's feet wrinkle. The severity of hyperpigmented spots, red and brown, was also found to contribute to perceived age although to a weaker extent. ConclusionBy providing a clear view on the signs of ageing really matter to Russian women who are aged 40years old and above, this research offers key information for the development of relevant anti-ageing solutions specifically targeting their needs and their desire to achieve younger-looking skin. Resume ObjectifLe desir d'apparaitre jeune constitue une motivation forte dans l'achat de produits cosmetiques par les femmes du monde entier. Afin de developper une solution anti-age qui cible les besoins des consommateurs, il est cle de comprendre quels signes visibles de l'age sont d'une importance primordiale et influencent la perception de l'age. A ce jour, une population Russe n'a pas ete l'objet d'une telle recherche. Le but de cette etude est d'identifier les signes cliniques de l'age qui contribuent majoritairement a une apparence plus agee ou plus jeune pour les femmes de plus de 40 ans. MethodesL'age de 203 sujets feminins Russes a ete determine a partir de leur photographie standard par un total de 629 evaluatrices naives agees entre 20 et 65 ans. L'age estime a ete evalue en relation a 23 signes visibles de la peau mesures au prealable en utilisant les coefficients de correlation lineaires. Les signes de l'age, confirmes en correlation avec l'age estime, ont ete evalues de facon a mettre en evidence leur difference de valeur de severite moyenne entre les femmes percues plus agees et les femmes percues plus jeunes que leur age chronologique. Les volontaires ont prealablement repondu a une question visant a classer leurs signes de l'age par ordre d'importance. Ces resultats ont ete analyses afin de procurer la perspective du consommateur sur le vieillissement du visage. ResultatsParmi les 23 signes de l'age mesures, neuf ont ete identifies avec une correlation plus importante avec l'age percu. De tels resultats demontrent l'importance des rides de la partie superieure du visage (pates d'oies, glabellaire, sous les yeux et du front), mais aussi des rides de la moitie inferieure du visage associees a l'affaissement facial (dessus de la levre superieure, pli nasolabial). Cet affaissement du visage a ete confirme d'importance clef pour les volontaires ages de 41 a 65 ans qui etaient principalement concernees par la ptose du contour de leur visage au-dela des rides sous les yeux et des rides du coin de l'OEil. La severite des taches pigmentaires, rouges et brunes, a ete aussi identifiee en tant que contributeur a l'estimation de l'age, bien que plus faiblement. ConclusionEn procurant une vue claire sur les signes de l'age qui sont d'importance primordiale pour les femmes Russes agees de plus de 40 ans, cette etude offre une information critique pour le developpement de solutions anti-age pertinentes qui ciblent specifiquement leurs besoins et notamment leur desir de conserver une apparence jeune.