Retinol on Human Skin Aging in East Asian Descent
Retinol on Human Skin Aging in East Asian Descent
There has been increasing evidence for different rates of natural aging in humans and one of
 the best organs to study human aging is skin. Studies have demonstrated anti-aging effects of
 topical agents (such as creams, gels, lotions, or ointments) and one of them, retinol or
 vitamin A, was shown to decrease fine wrinkling in skin of older individuals. Additionally,
 studies of retinol in humans have largely occurred in white populations and so this study
 aims to focus on skin aging in individuals of East Asian descent as they represent a majority
 of the world population. This study aims to better characterize the molecular basis of
 rejuvenation effects and to potentially discover new topical agents with similar and/or more
 effective preservation of skin youthfulness.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  able to provide written informed consent

 -  older group: age between 50 and 75 years

 -  young group: age 18 to 25 years

 -  all four grandparents of Han Chinese, Japanese, Korean descent

 -  body mass index within normal or overweight range

 -  no history of weight loss of >20 lbs within past 5 years

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  skin condition in the areas of skin biopsy that would obscure results of analysis

 -  topical creams or treatment to arms 2 weeks prior to study baseline visit

 -  individuals with known hypersensitivity to retinoid class of agents (older group only)

 -  prior anti-aging treatments to arms including retinol, microdermabrasion within 2
 weeks of baseline visit

 -  prior laser therapy or surgical procedure to arms

 -  prior radiation or other trauma (extensive burns or abrasions) to arm skin

 -  hormone-based therapy within 4 weeks of enrollment