Aging and contact dermatitis: a review.

As the population continues to age, understanding the differences between aged and young skin becomes more important to the clinician. Contact dermatitis is just one of the clinical entities that presents differently in the geriatric population. Reactions can be delayed in onset, and prolonged in duration. These altered presentations are the direct result of the pathophysiologic changes that occur in aging skin. It is especially important to recognize contact dermatitis in this age group, and to treat in a timely fashion.