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Chapter 38 - Dermatologic Conditions

from Section III - Care of the Elderly by Organ System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 June 2022

By
Frank Lacy ,
Maria del Mar Melendez-Gonzalez  and
Christopher J. Sayed
Edited by
Jan Busby-Whitehead ,
Samuel C. Durso ,
Christine Arenson ,
Rebecca Elon ,
Mary H. Palmer  and
William Reichel
Jan Busby-Whitehead
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Samuel C. Durso
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
Christine Arenson
Affiliation:
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
Rebecca Elon
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Mary H. Palmer
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
William Reichel
Affiliation:
Georgetown University Medical Center
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Summary

Skin conditions affect patients of all ages, but there are unique considerations in the geriatric population. The structure and function of the skin evolve over time in ways that alter the risk of developing many skin diseases as well as the appearance of both normal and abnormal skin findings. It is important to recognize normal skin changes such as seborrheic keratosis and actinic purpura and to be able to distinguish them from more concerning changes such as skin cancers or infections that are more likely to occur in elderly patients. In this chapter, we review the typical effects of aging on the skin and the important neoplastic, inflammatory, infectious, and other processes.

Keywords

geriatricsdermatologyskin cancerpsoriasisphotoaginginfection
Type
Chapter
Information
Reichel's Care of the Elderly
Clinical Aspects of Aging
 , pp. 457 - 476
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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