Telomeres govern aging, photoaging

Washington - Attempts to explain the aging process at the cellular level have identified two main culprits - intrinsic aging and photoaging. "When referring to the skin," said Mina Yaar, M.D., "it's important to differentiate between intrinsic or chronologic aging that comprises the clinical, histologic, and physiologic changes in sun-protected skin, and photoaging, defined as the clinical, histologic, and physiologic changes in habitually sun-exposed skin." She is professor of dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Yaar will speak on molecular mechanisms in aging and photoaging at the AAD meeting scheduled here February 6-11.