Stefania Guida1, Marco Spadafora, Sabrina Longhitano, Giovanni Pellacani, Francesca Farnetani. 1. All authors are affiliated with the Dermatology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Science with Interest Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Neck aging is usually evaluated together with the lower face. To date, a skin laxity scale for the neck as an independent anatomical district is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To create and validate a proposed photonumeric neck skin laxity (NSL) scale. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Frontal neck photographic images of 110 subjects were collected. Each standardized neck image was evaluated twice by 3 independent doctors, 1 week apart. A 4-point photonumeric NSL scale was developed (0 = absence of skin laxity and 4 = severe skin laxity) and validated in terms of intraobserver and interobserver correlation and internal consistency. RESULTS: The intraobserver reliability analysis of the 2 assessments performed by each observer revealed excellent correlation and consistency of the severity grading, independently of the time of evaluation (from 0.96 to 0.99, p < .01). Furthermore, the interobserver reliability analysis revealed an excellent agreement between the evaluators and an internal consistency independent of the evaluator (0.97, p < .01). CONCLUSION: The newly developed NSL scale is a reliable and reproducible scoring system for the aesthetic evaluation of skin laxity of the neck.
BACKGROUND: Neck aging is usually evaluated together with the lower face. To date, a skin laxity scale for the neck as an independent anatomical district is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To create and validate a proposed photonumeric neck skin laxity (NSL) scale. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Frontal neck photographic images of 110 subjects were collected. Each standardized neck image was evaluated twice by 3 independent doctors, 1 week apart. A 4-point photonumeric NSL scale was developed (0 = absence of skin laxity and 4 = severe skin laxity) and validated in terms of intraobserver and interobserver correlation and internal consistency. RESULTS: The intraobserver reliability analysis of the 2 assessments performed by each observer revealed excellent correlation and consistency of the severity grading, independently of the time of evaluation (from 0.96 to 0.99, p < .01). Furthermore, the interobserver reliability analysis revealed an excellent agreement between the evaluators and an internal consistency independent of the evaluator (0.97, p < .01). CONCLUSION: The newly developed NSL scale is a reliable and reproducible scoring system for the aesthetic evaluation of skin laxity of the neck.