TouchDERMATOLOGY coverage from AAD 2026:
As interest continues to grow in better understanding the biology of skin aging, non-invasive tools such as tape stripping are opening up new possibilities for molecular research that may help identify strategies to slow skin aging and promote skin longevity.
In this Q&A, Dr Helen He (New York, NY, USA) discusses her latest study, which was presented as a late-breaking abstract at this year’s AAD Annual Meeting, and the insights it offers into the mechanisms of skin aging and future targeted interventions.
Q. What is tape stripping and why is it proving to be such a useful tool in omics-based skin research?
Q. What was the rationale for exploring the molecular signatures of healthy skin aging?
Q. Could you talk us through the study design, including its aims, methodology and the participant population involved?
Q. What were the key findings to emerge from the research, and what do these reveal about potential new interventional or anti-aging targets?
Q. How might these findings now be translated into targeted interventions to support skin aging and longevity, and what are the next steps for future investigations?
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Abstract: He H. Molecular signatures of healthy skin aging highlight potential interventional anti-aging targets using tape strips. S023 Late-Breaking Research: Session 1. AAD 2026, March 27-21, Denver, CO, USA.
Cite: He H. Molecular signatures of aging skin reveal potential anti-aging targets. touchDERMATOLOGY. 02 April 2026.
Editor: Gina Furinval.
This content has been developed independently by Touch Medical Media for touchDERMATOLOGY. It is not affiliated with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Views expressed are the speaker’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Touch Medical Media.
Disclosures: Helen He discloses consulting for Abbvie, receiving grant/research support from Clinique and serving on advisory boards for L’Oreal.
About Dr Helen He
Dr Helen He is a board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Professor in the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai. She serves as Director of Lasers and Cosmetic Surgery and co-directs the Mount Sinai–Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center. Her clinical work spans medical and cosmetic dermatology, while her research focuses on inflammatory skin diseases and skin aging. Dr He earned her BS from MIT and MD from Mount Sinai, where she also completed her dermatology residency.
