Up until now, no objective scale has existed to evaluate chest wrinkles and assess the efficacy of treatment. This study was designed to validate a new photonumeric wrinkle assessment scale using standardized photographic methodology to obtain reference photographs. Multiple photographs from 28 volunteer subjects with varying degrees of chest wrinkles were evaluated by a study team of two independent physicians. Photographs of 16 subjects representing the full spectrum of chest wrinkle severity were selected and classified using the Fabi-Bolton (F-B) 5-point wrinkle scale (1 = wrinkles absent; 2 = shallow but visible wrinkles; 3 = moderately deep wrinkles; 4 = deep wrinkles, with well-defined edges; 5 = wrinkles very deep with redundant folds). One representative photograph was chosen by study team consensus for each of the five scale points. A second, independent group of evaluators rated the randomly arranged photographs using the F-B wrinkle scale. The numeric results were then tabulated and compared. The F-B wrinkle scale provided a reproducible and effective method for assessing chest wrinkles with very little interrater variability. The F-B wrinkle scale is a reliable tool for the classification of chest wrinkles and evaluation of therapeutic and cosmetic interventions.
© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.