Epidemiology of fragile skin: Internet-based surveys in Mexico and Russia

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of study participants

Characteristics	Mexico (N=606)	Russia (N=604)
Gender, n (%)
Male	294 (48.5)	272 (45.0)
Female	312 (51.5)	332 (55.0)
Age (years)
Mean±SD	37.9±12.1	42.4±12.6
Range (years), n (%)	18–73	18–80
18–34	270 (44.6)	190 (31.5)
35–44	132 (21.8)	111 (18.4)
≥45	204 (33.7)	303 (50.2)
Region
Mexico, n (%)
Center	235 (38.8)
North	142 (23.4)
Gulf	92 (15.2)
Pacific	77 (12.7)
South	60 (9.90)
Russia, n (%)
Central Federal District		169 (28.0)
Southern Federal District		92 (15.2)
Northwestern Federal District		65 (10.8)
Far Eastern Federal District		21 (3.5)
Siberian Federal District		77 (12.8)
Ural Federal District		62 (10.3)
Volga Federal District		118 (19.5)
Skin type, n (%)
Mestizo	411 (67.8)	7 (1.2)
Caucasian	143 (23.6)	567 (93.9)
Black	4 (0.7)	1 (0.2)
Arabic	8 (1.3)	1 (0.2)
Asian	7 (1.2)	8 (1.3)
Indian	3 (0.5)	NA
Turkish	1 (0.2)	5 (0.8)
Mongolian	NA	5 (0.8)
“I do not want to answer”	29 (4.8)	10 (1.7)
Living environment and climate, n (%)
Sun	518 (85.5)	421 (69.7)
Wind	387 (63.9)	484 (80.1)
Cold	293 (48.4)	455 (75.3)
Pollution	431 (71.1)	365 (60.4)
Humidity	334 (55.1)	247 (40.9)
Air conditioning	290 (47.9)	282 (46.7)
Stress	460 (75.9)	430 (71.2)

Abbreviation: NA, not applicable.

Table 2 Characteristics of the study population according to fragile skin

Characteristics	Mexico (N=606)			Russia (N=604)
	Fragile skin (N=303)	No fragile skin (N=303)	P-value (χ^2)	Fragile skin (N=277)	No fragile skin (N=327)	P-value (χ^2)
Age (years)
18–34, n (%)	143 (47.2)	127 (41.9)	0.1658	96 (34.7)	94 (28.8)	0.1051
35–44, n (%)	69 (22.8)	63 (20.8)		55 (19.9)	56 (17.1)
≥45, n (%)	91 (30.0)	113 (37.3)		126 (45.5)	177 (54.1)
Gender, n (%)
Male	120 (39.6)	174 (57.4)	<0.0001	82 (29.6)	190 (58.1)	<0.0001
Female	183 (60.4)	129 (42.6)		195 (70.4)	137 (41.9)
Living environment and climate, n (%)
Sun	261 (86.1)	257 (84.8)	0.6447	197 (71.1)	224 (68.5)	0.4855
Wind	204 (67.3)	183 (60.4)	0.0758	233 (84.1)	251 (76.8)	0.0239
Cold	172 (56.8)	121 (39.9)	<0.0001	217 (78.3)	238 (72.8)	0.1145
Pollution	234 (77.2)	197 (65.0)	0.0009	181 (65.3)	184 (56.3)	0.0231
Humidity	169 (55.8)	165 (54.5)	0.7439	113 (40.8)	134 (41.0)	0.9634
Air conditioning	148 (48.8)	142 (46.9)	0.6256	152 (54.9)	130 (39.8)	0.0002
Stress	246 (81.2)	214 (70.6)	0.0024	226 (81.6)	204 (62.4)	<0.0001

Notes: P-values shown in bold are those which reached the 5% significance level.

Table 3 Skin appearance and symptoms according to fragile skin

Skin characteristics	Mexico (N=606)		P-value (χ^2)	Russia (N=604)		P-value (χ^2)
	Fragile skin (N=303)	No fragile skin (N=303)		Fragile skin (N=277)	No fragile skin (N=327)
Skin appearance, n (%)
Transparent	56 (18.5)	28 (9.2)	0.0010	88 (31.8)	28 (8.6)	<0.0001
Thin	184 (60.7)	147 (48.5)	0.0025	184 (66.4)	95 (29.1)	<0.0001
Easily wrinkled	137 (45.2)	67 (22.1)	<0.0001	133 (48.0)	88 (26.9)	<0.0001
Velvety in appearance	124 (40.9)	118 (38.9)	0.6187	119 (43.0)	149 (45.6)	0.5207
Other skin characteristics	48 (15.8)	34 (11.2)	0.0964	44 (15.9)	57 (17.4)	0.6118
Skin symptoms, n (%)
Tingling	117 (38.6)	66 (21.8)	<0.0001	102 (36.8)	75 (22.9)	0.0002
Warming up sensation	143 (47.2)	116 (38.3)	0.0266	129 (46.6)	118 (36.1)	0.0090
Tightness	94 (31.0)	38 (12.5)	<0.0001	202 (72.9)	122 (37.3)	<0.0001
Itching	150 (49.5)	101 (33.3)	<0.0001	126 (45.5)	86 (26.3)	<0.0001
Burning	77 (25.4)	30 (9.9)	<0.0001	76 (27.4)	44 (13.5)	<0.0001
Pain	50 (16.5)	26 (8.6)	0.0032	56 (20.2)	51 (15.6)	0.1384
Redness	167 (55.1)	72 (23.8)	<0.0001	175 (63.2)	119 (36.4)	<0.0001
Dryness	226 (74.6)	175 (57.8)	<0.0001	239 (86.3)	184 (56.3)	<0.0001

Notes: P-values shown in bold are those which reached the 5% significance level.

Table 4 Skin diseases and dermatologic procedures according to fragile skin

Skin disease/dermatologic procedure	Mexico (N=606)		P-value (χ^2)	Russia (N=604)		P-value
	Fragile skin (N=303)	No fragile skin (N=303)		Fragile skin (N=277)	No fragile skin (N=327)
Skin disease, n (%)
Acne	161 (53.1)	130 (42.9)	0.0117	68 (24.6)	39 (11.9)	<0.0001 (C)
Eczema	85 (28.1)	37 (12.2)	<0.0001	28 (10.1)	8 (2.5)	<0.0001 (C)
Psoriasis	17 (5.6)	8 (2.6)	0.0660	22 (7.9)	13 (4.0)	0.0376 (C)
Pigment spots (pale spots, brown spots)	158 (52.2)	109 (36.0)	<0.0001	118 (42.6)	68 (20.8)	<0.0001 (C)
Other skin diseases	23 (7.6)	15 (5.0)	0.1801	42 (15.2)	30 (9.2)	0.0236 (C)
Dermatologic procedures, n (%)
Peeling	44 (14.5)	23 (7.6)	0.0065	83 (30.0)	33 (10.1)	<0.0001 (C)
Lasers	40 (13.2)	23 (7.6)	0.0237	26 (9.4)	15 (4.6)	0.0195 (C)
Dermabrasion	32 (10.6)	18 (5.9)	0.0387	18 (6.5)	2 (0.6)	<0.0001 (F)
Dermatological surgery (resection, curettage)	17 (5.6)	7 (2.3)	0.0373	6 (2.2)	6 (1.8)	0.7713 (C)
Wrinkle filling injections	10 (3.3)	8 (2.6)	0.6322	17 (6.1)	7 (2.1)	0.0122 (C)
Other dermatological procedure	18 (5.9)	19 (6.3)	0.8653	29 (10.5)	12 (3.7)	0.0009 (C)

Notes: P-values shown in bold are those which reached the 5% significance level.

Abbreviations: C, χ²; F, Fisher’s test.