Defining skin quality: clinical relevance & terminology

Skin quality has become a prevailing concept in the global realm of aesthetics. Existing literature predominantly describes age-related shifts in skin quality, rather than the essence of skin quality itself, leading to a substantial array of descriptive terms. The state of one's skin health is closely connected with overall well-being, with clear and vibrant skin serving as a tangible testament to one's physical condition. It serves as a visual indicator, reflecting the individual's overall health and even potential underlying conditions or nutritional deficiencies. An article featured in the Dermatologic Surgery journal clarifies terminology, description, and evaluative tools to comprehensively measure skin quality. The authors introduce a structured framework encompassing the attributes important to skin quality within the domain of healthy skin. Three pivotal categories include: visual, mechanical, and topographical.
Visual attributes pertain solely to observable aspects and are measured through the reflection of light on the skin surface. Topographical attributes are measured through tactile perception and visualized through topographic imaging. Mechanical attributes encompass aspects related to skin mobility and can be quantified through physical manipulation or deformation of the skin. The composite factors influencing physical appearance and perceptions of attractiveness are multifaceted and interlinked. Consequently, an individual's skin quality exerts a significant psychosocial impact. Impaired skin quality can arise from a plethora of factors and may detrimentally affect emotional well-being, quality of life, self-perception, and interpersonal engagements.