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How stiff is skin?

How stiff is skin?
How stiff is skin?
The measurement of the mechanical properties of skin (such as stiffness, extensibility and strength) is a key step in characterisation of both dermal ageing and disease mechanisms and in the assessment of tissue engineered skin replacements. However, the biomechanical terminology and plethora of mathematical analysis approaches can be daunting to those outside the field. As a consequence, mechanical studies are often inaccessible to a significant proportion of the intended audience. Furthermore, devices for the measurement of skin function in vivo generate relative values rather than formal mechanical measures, therefore limiting the ability to compare studies. In this viewpoint essay we discuss key biomechanical concepts and the influence of technical and biological factors (including the nature of the testing apparatus, length scale, donor age and anatomical site) on measured mechanical properties such as stiffness. Having discussed the current state-of-the-art in macro-mechanical and micro-mechanical measuring techniques and in mathematical and computational modelling methods we then make suggestions as to how these approaches, in combination with 3D X-ray imaging and mechanics methods may be adopted into a single strategy to characterise the mechanical behaviour of skin.
0906-6705
4-9
Graham, Helen K.
b9b8ecf0-0084-4ff7-adc2-4683e860f03e
McConnell, James C.
98cca840-9c9b-4a19-a939-e8557829f662
Limbert, Georges
a1b88cb4-c5d9-4c6e-b6c9-7f4c4aa1c2ec
Sharratt, Michael J.
5ff1f32d-3ed2-448f-b35e-382a7fdd54da
Graham, Helen K.
b9b8ecf0-0084-4ff7-adc2-4683e860f03e
McConnell, James C.
98cca840-9c9b-4a19-a939-e8557829f662
Limbert, Georges
a1b88cb4-c5d9-4c6e-b6c9-7f4c4aa1c2ec
Sharratt, Michael J.
5ff1f32d-3ed2-448f-b35e-382a7fdd54da

Graham, Helen K., McConnell, James C., Limbert, Georges and Sharratt, Michael J. (2019) How stiff is skin? Experimental Dermatology, 28 (S1), 4-9. (doi:10.1111/exd.13826).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The measurement of the mechanical properties of skin (such as stiffness, extensibility and strength) is a key step in characterisation of both dermal ageing and disease mechanisms and in the assessment of tissue engineered skin replacements. However, the biomechanical terminology and plethora of mathematical analysis approaches can be daunting to those outside the field. As a consequence, mechanical studies are often inaccessible to a significant proportion of the intended audience. Furthermore, devices for the measurement of skin function in vivo generate relative values rather than formal mechanical measures, therefore limiting the ability to compare studies. In this viewpoint essay we discuss key biomechanical concepts and the influence of technical and biological factors (including the nature of the testing apparatus, length scale, donor age and anatomical site) on measured mechanical properties such as stiffness. Having discussed the current state-of-the-art in macro-mechanical and micro-mechanical measuring techniques and in mathematical and computational modelling methods we then make suggestions as to how these approaches, in combination with 3D X-ray imaging and mechanics methods may be adopted into a single strategy to characterise the mechanical behaviour of skin.

Text
Graham et al (2018) Experimental Dermatology - Accepted Manuscript
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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 26 October 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 January 2019
Published date: February 2019

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 426462
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/426462
ISSN: 0906-6705
PURE UUID: c5970f02-e36b-424c-90dd-d6391eefccbd

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Date deposited: 28 Nov 2018 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 07:21

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Contributors

Author: Helen K. Graham
Author: James C. McConnell
Author: Georges Limbert
Author: Michael J. Sharratt

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