Recognising and managing age-related dermatoporosis and skin tears
Intended for healthcare professionals
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Recognising and managing age-related dermatoporosis and skin tears

Valentina Vanzi Clinical nurse specialist, Wound care, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
Elena Toma Clinical nurse specialist, Wound care, independent tissue viability consultant, Rome, Italy

Dermatoporosis is a chronic skin fragility syndrome, caused by age and environmental factors. People with dermatoporosis have skin whose protective mechanical function is reduced and which has a decreased tolerance for friction and shearing forces. Skin tears are another clinical consequence of age-associated skin vulnerability and people with dermatoporosis are at increased risk of skin tears. Dermatoporosis may also delay the healing of skin tears, making it vital that healthcare professionals are aware of this condition. Skin tears have profound effects on the health and well-being of older people, and these kinds of injuries are being seen more frequently in clinical practice as the average age of the population increases. The treatment of skin tears in three older people with dermatoporosis is discussed and the clinical decisions made in each case.

Nursing Older People. 30, 3, 26-31. doi: 10.7748/nop.2018.e1022

Correspondence

valentina.vanzi@hotmail.it

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Conflict of interest

None declared

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Received: 11 December 2017

Accepted: 29 January 2018

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