Skin aging encompasses both intrinsic and extrinsic aging. Extrinsic aging is affected by environmental influences and overlays the effects of chronological aging. Previous studies have investigated the risk factors of skin aging using methods of quantifying skin aging. However, reviewing these studies is still pending. 

A recent study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to understand skin aging risk factors better and collate the available data. This systematic review was in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. It searched Embase, PubMed and Web of Science databases in October 2020 using specific search strategies.

The study recognized seven significant risk factors for different skin aging phenotypes: age, gender, ethnicity, air pollution, nutrition, smoking and sun exposure. 

These results will help in future works aiming to examine the interaction between genetic and environmental influences.

Source: Wong QYA, Chew FT. Defining skin aging and its risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):22075.