Asian, African-American, Caucasian and Indian men share some similarities with signs of facial aging, but there are distinctions among male ethnicities that emerge as their faces age, according to a study published September 7 in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science.
Researchers at L’Oréal Research and Innovation facilities in Shanghai, China, Chicago, Ill., Mumbai, India and Paris, France analyzed digital images of 1058 men, ages 18 to 80 years. Researchers illustrated potential progressive changes of male facial skin with age by looking for 15 to 20 different facial signs in each of the subjects and grading the signs with Skin Aging Atlases specific to the gender and ethnic groups studied.
They found Asian men tend to age faster in the upper face than in the lower half of the face. Their neck skin texture has an unpredictable profile but shows a sharp increase beginning in their 50s. Skin homogeneity changes appear fastest in localized pigmentary spots on the cheeks, which is a clear Asian trait, according to the authors. Their facial skin pores remain rather stable with age.
Compared to Asian men, Caucasian males have more pronounced glabellar wrinkle development. Pre-tarsal lower eyelid swelling, which seems a Caucasian trait, appears at a stable intensity, according to the authors. Neck skin texture seems stochastic but shows a sharp increase in aging from 40 years on. Vascular and pigmentary homogeneity in facial skin isn’t much affected by age, but skin pores increase in severity up to men’s 40s and decline after. Changes appear to occur faster in the upper part of the face than in the lower face.
Indian men exhibit greater changes in the nasolabial fold and forehead wrinkles than Asian or Caucasian men. They also seem to have more prominent neck sagging and lower facial region ptosis. Their skin pores change with age and pigmentary macules spread, but those are the limited skin homogeneity signs that consistently, albeit slowly, increase in Indian masculine skin between 18 and 80 years of age.
In African American men most signs of facial skin aging have low scores compared to the other ethnicities. The most noted age-related sign among African American men appears to be chin withering. Facial skin rarely reveals pigmentary disorders, but pores increase in severity with age.
Overall, the research suggests there is a need to develop anti-aging cosmetic products aimed at specific ethnic groups, according to the study.
