Skin mechanics measured in vivo using torsion: a new and accurate model more sensitive to age, sex and moisturizing treatment

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Abstract
Summary Measurements of skin mechanics are required to understand better cracking and flaking of the epidermis and loss of 'elasticity'with age in the dermis. Improvements in torsional testing are described here. The resulting data was fitted to algebraic models, the parameters of which can serve both as a concise description of the responses and as a means of relating them to skin structure and physiology. This investigation looks into the suitability of seven such algebraic models. Five of the models examined here appear to be new. Using the commercially available Dia-Stron DTM Torque Meter with our own software, model parameters were studied as indicators of the effects of age and sex in 41 people, and of skin moisturizing treatments in a further 10 people. The two models in the literature were both found to be substantially less accurate and sensitive representations of experimental data than one of the new models proposed here based on the Weibull distribution. This 'WB model'was consistently the one best able to distinguish differences and detect changes which were statistically significant. The WB model appears to be the most powerful and efficient available. Use of this model makes it possible to demonstrate in vivo a statistically significant mechanical difference between male and pre-menopausal female skin using only one parameter (p= 0.0163, with 18 males and 19 females) and to demonstrate a statistically significant mechanical difference between successive decades of age in female skin using only one parameter (p= 0.0124, n= 24). The two parameters of the model most sensitive to skin structure, function and treatment have been combined to form the axes of a 'Skin condition chart'. Any person can be located on this chart at a point indicating their overall skin condition in mechanical terms and any changes in that condition can be clearly demonstrated by movement across the plot.