Neste estudo foi avaliado o fotoenvelhecimento cutâneo dos membros superiores clinica, anatomo e imunohistoquimicamente, em 22 pacientes do sexo feminino, com idade acima de 50 anos, antes e após quatro sessões de esfoliação química com ácido pirúvico 80% com intervalo quinzenal. Clinicamente foram avaliados o envelhecimento cutâneo por meio da elastose clínica, rugas profundas e superficiais; lesões de queratose actinica e melanose solar. As biópsias foram avaliadas pela coloração hematoxilina-eosina e posteriormente coradas pelo marcador imunohistoquímico Ki-67, marcador de proliferação celular. A avaliação anatomopatológica foi embasada no estudo das alterações epidérmicas (hiperqueratose, presença de acantose ou atrofia, atipia celular e retificação da epiderme), enquanto a alteração dérmica foi avaliada pela degeneração basofílica do colágeno. As células coradas pelo marcador imunohistoquímico de proliferação celular, o Ki-67, foram contadas e comparadas antes e após as quatro esfoliações. Concluímos que o ácido pirúvico 80% se mostrou eficaz no tratamento clínico do fotoenvelhecimento (77,3%) e na queratose actinica (72,7%); resultados estatisticamente significantes, porém tanto a avaliação das lesões de melanose solar quanto a avaliação histopatológica epidérmica e dérmica não foram estatisticamente significantes. O Ki-67, marcador da proliferação celular se mostrou aumentado na maioria dos pacientes (52,63%), resultado este também estatisticamente não significante

This study assessed skin photoaging of the upper limbs by clinical, anatomical and immunohistochemical analyses in 22 female patients, aged over 50 years, before and after 4 sessions of chemical exfoliation with pyruvic acid at 80% within quartely intervals. From a clinically perspective, we assessed skin aging by clinical elastosis, deep or superficial wrinkles, actinic keratosis and solar melanosis damage before and after 4 exfoliations. Biopsies were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and later stained with the immunohistochemical marker Ki-67, a marker of cellular proliferation. Clinical pathology analysis was based on the study of epidermal abnormalities (hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and atrophy, cellular atypia and epidermal rectification), whereas dermal abnormalities were assessed by collagen basophilic degeneration. The cells stained by the immunohistochemical marker of cellular proliferation Ki-67 were counted and compared before and after the 4 exfoliations. The purpose of the study was to investigate the use of pyruvic acid in the treatment of photoaging, assessing its clinical abnormalities, action in actinic keratosis and solar melanosis damage, as well as epidermal and dermal abnormalities in the clinical pathology and the repercussions in cell proliferation. Clinical pathology analysis was based on the study of epidermal abnormalities (hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and atrophy, cellular atypia and epidermal rectification), whereas dermal abnormalities were assessed by collagen basophilic degeneration. The cells stained by the immunohistochemical marker of cellular proliferation Ki67 were counted and compared before and after the 4 exfoliations. We concluded that pyruvic acid at 80% was effective for clinically managing photoaging (77,3%) and actinic keratosis (72,7%). These results were statistically significant whereas the results for dermal and epidermel histopathology assessment of solar melanosis damage were not. Ki-67, a marker of cell proliferation, was increased in most of the patients (52,63%), but did not result in statistically significant differences