Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, has launched a unified vocabulary to standardise how skin quality is discussed.
The creation of the Skin Quality Index (SQI) is supported by research that identified inconsistencies in terminology and the need for clear and consistent language during aesthetic consultations.
Addressing these inconsistencies, the SQI has introduced 15 consensus term and definitions across four core dimensions of skin health. The aim is to aid providers in understanding patient goals and contribute to improved outcomes.
Shannon Humphrey, board-certified dermatologist and primary investigator of the study, said: “The Skin Quality Index is a groundbreaking innovation that represents a paradigm shift in how we approach patient consultations and treatment planning in aesthetics.
“The data clearly demonstrated the need for a standardised vocabulary. By providing a shared language, the Skin Quality Index empowers patients to articulate their concerns more effectively, enables physicians to better understand and address those concerns, and ultimately will lead to more personalised and successful treatment outcomes.”
Published in the Dermatologic Surgery, the research defined how skin quality is described through a three-phase methodical approach that involved multiple medical specialities and diverse patient populations.
In phase one, over 900 aesthetic medicine publications spanning over two decades were analysed. Phase two involved establishing consensus definitions by convening US advisory boards of health care providers. In phase three, qualitative patient focus groups out and quantitative surveys, involving over 200 aesthetic providers and more than 1,000 patients, were carried out to evaluate the terminology used.
Stephanie Manson Brown, VP, head of clinical development, scientific innovation and skincare research & development at Allergan Aesthetics, said: ” The Skin Quality Index reflects our commitment to deepening that understanding by establishing a shared language that can support more meaningful research, inform innovation and further the field of aesthetic medicine.”