JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 182 (Stm) in the crow’s feet areas. This observation is statistically signifi cant compared with the baseline (D0) and the placebo at D56. After 56 d of applying the emulsion, the depth of the main wrinkles was reduced by 6.5% compared with the baseline and by 7.8% compared with the placebo (p 0.05) (Figure 4). Moreover, the mean roughness was reduced by 7.8% compared with the baseline (D0) and by 7.4% versus the placebo (p 0.05) (Figure 5). Figure 6. Photographs of a 56-year-old donor. Figure 5. Quantitative measurement of the mean difference between peaks and valleys (Stm) by fringe pro- jection on crow’s feet wrinkles. Emulsion with Hamamelis at 1% and Placebo emulsion. Mean percentage of evolution of Stm compared with the baseline (D0). Statistics versus D0 and placebo (Pl).

UNDERSTANDING SOLAR SKIN ELASTOSIS 183 This antiwrinkle effect after 56 d of application of the emulsion containing Hamamelis at 1% is illustrated in the photographs in Figure 6. HAMAMELIS FIRMS THE SKIN OF THE FACE (DYNASKIN®) The depression created by airfl ow on the cheeks was measured to evaluate the fi rming effect of the emulsion containing Hamamelis at 1%. The volume and the depth param- eters of the deformation were measured. Compared with the placebo, after 84 d of treatment with Hamamelis at 1%, we observed a signifi cant reduction of the volume of the depression by 14.6% (p 0.05) and a signifi cant reduction of the maximal depth of the deformation by 9.5% (p 0.05) (Figure 7). This lower deformation of the skin created by the airfl ow, compared with the placebo, indicates a fi rming effect of Hamamelis at 1%. DISCUSSION Year after year, the slackness of the skin becomes more and more noticeable. The lack of elasticity of the skin is one of the major signs of ageing, whether it is caused by time or accelerated by exposure to the sun rays. With age and sun, the oxidative phenomenon leads to the densifi cation of the collagen fi ber network and to the degradation of elastin fi bers. The dermis gets thinner and the elastic fi bers split, which lead to a lack of skin elasticity. Wrinkles and fi ne lines appear. UV radiations increase the synthesis of metalloproteases, which degrade many compo- nents of the extracellular matrix, including collagen IV and VII and functional elastic fi bers. These phenomena involve leveling of the dermoepidermal junction and a signifi cant alteration of the conjunctive tissue. Elastin fi bers are in large numbers, thickened, and tangled. The fi bers stick together to form aggregates that are present throughout the dermis. We called this phenomenon as solar elastosis. In these conditions, elastin is badly Figure 7. Quantitative measurement of the volume of the depression and the maximal depth by Dynaskin® on the cheek. Emulsion with Hamamelis at 1% and emulsion with placebo. Mean percentage of evolution of volume of the depression and the maximal depth compared with the baseline (D0). Statistics versus placebo (Pl).