This study aims to empirically identify the structural relationship between anti-aging perception and skin care perception—factors that have been recognized as key determinants of skin-health behavior among adult women—and to propose practical str...
This study aims to empirically identify the structural relationship between anti-aging perception and skin care perception—factors that have been recognized as key determinants of skin-health behavior among adult women—and to propose practical strategies for anti-aging and skin care interventions. Although previous studies have suggested that aging perception and skin care perception influence skin-health behavior, integrated analyses examining the structural pathways between these two factors have been limited. Therefore, this study conducted a survey of 364 adult women in their 20s to 60s residing in the Seoul metropolitan area (Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon) and analyzed the causal structure linking anti-aging perception, skin care perception, and skin-health behavior.
The results revealed the following. First, significant differences were observed according to personal background variables, such as age, education, income, occupation, and marital status, each exerting distinct influences on subfactors of anti-aging perception and skin care perception. Notably, increasing age was associated with heightened perceptions of the impact of skin aging, the importance of skin care, and trust in professional management, confirming the presence of life-cycle–based skin care characteristics. Second, the subfactors of anti-aging perception— perceived impact of skin aging and perceived intrinsic aging—positively influenced all domains of skin-health behavior, including lifestyle habits, self-management, psychological expectations, and skin-health management. In contrast, a heightened perception of skin-problem occurrence negatively influenced psychological expectations, suggesting that excessive concern about skin problems may hinder positive skin-health behavior. Third, skin care perception—comprising the importance of skin care, professional management, and trust in management—exerted significant positive effects on all domains of skin-health behavior, with professional management and management trust showing particularly strong associations with self-management practices. Fourth, anti-aging perception directly influenced skin care perception, which in turn mediated the relationship between anti-aging perception and skin-health behavior. The importance of skin care and professional management demonstrated partial mediation, whereas management trust served as a full mediator in specific pathways. These findings confirm that skin care perception functions as a critical mechanism linking anti-aging perception to skin-health behavior.
Overall, the results indicate that enhancing skin-health behavior among adult women requires strengthening anti-aging awareness, increasing the reliability and quality of skin care information, providing systematic professional care services, and implementing preventive, lifestyle-focused education. In particular, establishing an integrated skin-health management model—comprising anti-aging education, personalized professional care, self-management guidance, and lifestyle monitoring—may serve as an effective practical strategy to promote sustained skin-health behavior. By empirically identifying the structural relationship between anti-aging perception and skin care perception and validating the mediating role of skin care perception, this study supplements the fragmented approaches of previous research and offers academic and practical contributions. Furthermore, the findings provide a foundational basis for developing policies, educational programs, and counseling interventions aimed at improving anti-aging and skin-health behaviors among adult women.