A recent study by Papadopoulos sought to identify different dermatological conditions among patients over 65 years of age compared to younger patients.

Spanning from May 2015 to December 2017, the study included 8422 patients of all ages. Patients were screened and their dermatological problem was noted. The participants were then divided into two age groups - 3629 elderly patients over 65 years of age formed the first group while 4793 patients up to 65 years of age formed the second group.

The major dermatological complaint in the elderly was pruritus (14.2%) compared to the younger age group (1%), who were more inclined to get mole examination (15.1%). Precancerous lesions (4%) and skin cancers (2.4%) were more frequent in the elderly as compared to those below 65 years of age (0.7% and 0.5%, respectively).

The study revealed significant differences in the frequency and etiology of dermatological diseases between the two age groups studied. Pruritus and non-cancerous tumors of the elderly appeared to be the key findings of geriatric dermatology.

Source: Papadopoulos I. Comparative Study of Dermatological Diseases of the Elderly in Relation to the Rest Population. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2020 Feb 17;13:173-178.