BACKGROUND: Skin photoaging, a degenerative skin process driven primarily by chronic ultraviolet radiation exposure, has become a key focus in dermatological research and clinical practice, with growing demand for effective preventive and therapeutic strategies. Despite the expansion of research in this field, no systematic bibliometric analysis has characterized the global research landscape of photoaging therapy over the past decade, leaving a gap in understanding its developmental trajectory.
METHODS: We retrieved publications related to photoaging therapy from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection, with data searches and exports completed on August 26, 2025. The search covered literature published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2024, using the strategy: TS= ("skin photoaging" OR "photoaging" OR "photoaging of skin" OR "solar aging of skin") AND TS= (therapy OR therapies OR treatment). After screening for publication timeframe (2015-2024), document types (articles and reviews), and language (English), 1172 eligible articles were included. Data analysis was performed using CiteSpace (Version 6.4.R1), VOSviewer (Version 1.6.20), Tableau (2025.2) and Excel (v2021) to examine annual publication trends, global distribution of research output, productivity and influence of countries, institutions, journals, and authors, collaborative networks, reference co-citations, and keyword co-occurrences.
RESULTS: Over the 2015-2024 period, research on photoaging therapy showed a steady upward trend in annual publications, increasing from 60 in 2015 to 199 in 2024 (a more than threefold growth). A total of 75 countries/regions, 1831 institutions, and 5860 authors contributed to the field. China led in publication volume (336 papers, 28.67%), followed by the United States (232 papers, 19.8%) and South Korea (231 papers, 19.71%), though China's citation-per-publication rate (14.92) was relatively low. Among institutions, Kyung Hee University (South Korea) was the most productive (40 papers, 822 citations), while China Medical University (China) had the highest citation-per-publication ratio (29.32) among top institutions. The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published the most relevant papers (70), and the International Journal of Molecular Sciences had the highest total citations (1390, IF=4.9). Hwang, Eunson (21 papers) was the most productive author, with top authors predominantly affiliated with Kyung Hee University. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified four core clusters: ultraviolet radiation-induced damage and mechanisms, photoaging-related skin diseases, prevention/treatment strategies, and pigmentation regulation/local therapies. Emerging research trends included the use of exosomes, microRNA, NF-κB signaling modulation, and platelet-rich plasma for regenerative repair.
CONCLUSION: This comprehensive bibliometric analysis quantifies the global research landscape and trends in photoaging therapy from 2015 to 2024, highlighting the field's rapid expansion, key contributing entities, and core research themes. It identifies emerging directions (e.g., exosome-based interventions, inflammatory signaling regulation) and gaps (e.g., limited regional collaboration among top institutions, need for improved citation impact of Chinese publications). This study provides valuable insights for guiding future research, facilitating international collaboration, and accelerating the translation of basic science to clinical practice in photoaging therapy.
