Common cutaneous disorders in the geriatric population: A review

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the field of geriatric health maintenance and management especially in the industrialized world where life expectancy continues to increase. The skin is one of the many organs affected by the process of aging. Skin aging basically encompasses structural and physiological changes that are a part and parcel of two processes referred to as intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging. Skin aging is induced and modified by multiple factors, including environmental exposures and life style choices over time, in addition to the genetic make-up. The aged skin becomes more susceptible to certain dermatologic diseases that generally fall under the following categories: bacterial, fungal, viral infections, and parasitic infections, vascular disorders, adverse drug reactions and eruptions, papulosquamous disorders, and neoplasms. In addition, skin disorders seen in the elderly population are unique in their presentation, diagnosis, progression and physicians must be aware of when taking history and examining an elderly patient. Treatment of dermatologic complaints in the elderly is delicate. Social, financial, psychological, and physiological factors play a central role in designing a management plan. Particular attention must be given to matters such as patient compliance, presence of concerned caregivers, medical comorbidities, polypharmacy and the increased risk of drug reactions. © 2018 Lebanese Order of Physicians. All rights reserved.