Cutaneous aging is classified as photoaging and chronological aging and almost 80-90 % is caused by UV light. While the most important extrinsic factor in skin aging is UV light, hormones, foods, smoking, dry skin and gravitation are other factors. Epidermal turn over time prolonges by 30-50 %, epidermis is thinned, number of melanocytes and langerhans cells are decreased and collagen and elastine synthesis is decreased due to the reduction of number and function of fibroblasts which leads to sagging and wrinkling of the skin. The skin becomes prone to drying due to the decrease in eccrine and apoccrine gland functions. Kserosis, pruritus, drug reactions, solar lentigines, seborrheic keratoses, eczemas, actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, lentigo malignant melanoma, solar purpura, alopecia and rosacea are the most common skin conditions in elderly patients.

Keywords: cutaneous aging, pathogenesis, dermatoses in elderly