Abstract: We used scanning electronmicroscope to examine the three-dimensional architecture of the dermal elastic network of infant (within 1 yr), adult (20-40 yr) and aged person (over 70). The sites of examination were inner upper arm, abdomen and the heel. The network of infant appeared as a dense, homogeneous cavernous material with numerous pits on it. The network of adult was consisted of randomly arranged fibers. The fibers in papillary dermis were fine, cylindrical and mainly vertically oriented, whereas those in reticular dermis were coarse, sheet-like and the orientation was mainly horizontal. The network of the heel was denser than that in the other parts. The network of the aged was dense, especially in the heel and the organization was more random. The outline of individul fiber was blurred and fuzzy. Granular material was found on the surface of the fibers. These changes were more conspicuous in the heel. The reasons of the structural difference of the fibrous network in diff rent age groups are discussed.