Abstract

Background: Geriatric health care has been considered as an emerging issue due to the increase in life expectancy. Cutaneous lesions are more common among the elderly due to aging, which causes decline in the function of skin. Additional factors such as medical conditions, drugs, and environmental irritants also lead to the compromised skin.
Objective: To determine the spectrum of cutaneous manifestations among the elderly.
Materials and Methods: A total of 300 patients aged 60 years and above reporting to the private clinic in Mandya between July 2013 and June 2014 were evaluated. Skin changes in all the patients were recorded and were classified into physiological and pathological changes. Data were entered in an Excel sheet and analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Among 300 patients studied, 68% were men and 32% were women. Eczema (40%) was the most common pathological condition followed by pruritus (32%), and xerosis was common among the physiological changes. Conclusion: Elderly people are one of the more vulnerable sections of our society. Majority of the elderly in this study had xerosis and eczema. Increased prevalence of psychodermatosis in this study emphasizes the need of psychological support in addition to the medical care.