Skin aging risk factors: A nationwide population study in Mongolia

Abstract

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 participants 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 working outside (aOR=1.44, 95% CI 0.88-2.39) and lifestyle factors including non-usage of sunscreen cream (aOR=1.09 95% CI 0.87-1.37), being a smoker (aOR=1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.61), having a higher body mass index (BMI) (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) and U-zone (aOR=1.25, 95% CI 0.95-1.65) were significantly related to skin aging. Older age, urban living, harsh working conditions, living in a ger district were independent demographic risk factors related to skin aging. Not using sunscreen cream, 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.