ABSTRACT
Mechanical properties of human skin have interested dermatologists and bioengineers for a considerable time, as differences between biomechanical skin parameters at various skin sites and changes with age and disease are obvious. Objective functional assessment of skin mechanics was necessary in order to correlate mechanical properties with anatomical and biochemical findings. The principle of the instrument is the application of a vacuum perpendicular to the skin surface and the measurement of the resulting skin deformation. Because the test area is only about 3 mm, the contribution of the dermo-subepidermal interface to the deformation, a drawback of previous, much larger suction devices, is negligible. The Cutometer cannot be operated as a stand-alone instrument, but must be linked to an IBM-compatible computer through the RS 232 serial interface, and completely controlled from the computer.
