Skin Basics 101 for Aestheticians: Understanding the Grogau Aging Classification

Evaluating and analyzing the aging of a client’s skin is important when determining which treatments would be good for the client.  These treatments can include microdermabraison, laser resurfacing and chemical peels.  The most commonly used skin typing classification system is of course the Fitzpatrick skin typing system.  One of the major systems used in age analysis is the Golgau classification system, which measures the amount of photodamage, or sun exposure damage and assigns a numerical designation to classify the extent of the damage. The Glogau classification system utilizes both intrinsic and extrinsic aging.  Along with the Rubin system, it is one of the two most common systems in use for its purposes.

The Glogau classification system was developed to provide an objective measurement of  the severity of photoaging in individuals and to measure the severity of wrinkles, and assist aestheticians and other practitioners in choosing procedures to treat photoaging.

Four States of the Glogau Photoaging Classification System

With the Glogau system skin changes will be classified as either minimal, moderate, advanced or severe.  The determination in regards to each patient is based on the chronological age of the patient, pigmentation changes, keratoses, wrinkles, use of makeup and the amount of scarring from acne. Patients are divided into four categories.

Large Number of Variables In The Glogau System

A problem with the Glogau system is the large number of variables and determining factors which can be social or cultural and may have nothing to do with photodamage.  Many times patients do not fit into these categories easily or in a meaningful way.

The Symptoms of the Four Types of Classification

In the Glogau system the symptoms and tendencies in the early or mild form of photoaging include mild pigment changes, no noticeable  keratosis, a minimum number of  wrinkles and minimal or no makeup.  In the Moderate stage of photoaging early brown spots will be visible, keratosis is palpable but is not visible, parallel smile lines will begin to appear and the client wears some foundation. In the Advanced state there is obvious discolorations, visible capillaries (telangiectasias), visible keratosis and the client  wears heavier makeup at all times. In the fourth or Severe stage there is  yellow-gray skin color, prior skin malignancies, a large number of wrinkles, no or very little normal skin and the client  cannot wear makeup because it cakes and cracks.