Men and women differ in so many things, apparently also in terms of skin aging. The result of a recent German study published in Optics Letters, a journal of the Optical Society of America study revealed that women lose collagen faster than men do.

The researchers of this study are from Germany's Freidrich Schiller University and the Fraunhofer Institute of Biomedical Technology. They said, "The dependence appeared to be sex-dependent, with women's skin losing collagen at faster rates than men's."

Collagens are important in preserving youth because it serves as the connective tissue layer of the skin. Collagen production is abundant during youth but gradually declines as one approach old age. These groups of proteins in the dermis are responsible for keeping skin strong and youthful.

The researchers used a laser-based technique to examine skin damage due to sun’s ultraviolet rays and aging. To expose the deep layers of the skin and reveal the skin’s age, pulses of infrared laser light are used. The images of collagen and elastin that they produced led to the conclusion that indeed, women lose collagen faster than men do.

This study is useful because the new non-invasive test can be used in testing anti-aging cosmetic products and in searching for treatments for various skin diseases.