Dermatology for the elderly: An Indian perspective

Geriatric dermatology in India is gaining steady momentum, because the aging population is dramatically increasing. India crossed the United Nations definition of an aging country when the population of persons aged older than 60 years exceeded 7%. The dermatologic issues of this aging population are strongly influenced by many social, economic, and cultural factors. Pigmentary disorders are the prime example of cultural factors affecting dermatoses and their treatment. Photoaging differs from what one sees in Western populations due to the inherently dark skin of Indians. Cosmetic dermatology is becoming very popular in the middle and upper classes, and therefore, the aging face has suddenly become an attraction for cosmetic dermatologists. Cutaneous cancers, however, are unusual in the Indian population, especially melanomas, but many are missed.