title: Influence of age and regional differences on skin elasticity as measured by the Cutometer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aging of skin is accompanied by decrease of skin elasticity. Using the noninvasive suction device Cutometer, we evaluated the age and regional body differences of the viscoelastic properties of human skin. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the correlation between age and the biomechanical parameters and the regional skin variations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 96 healthy women aged 20-75 years were included in this study. The biomechanical properties of the skin were measured by using the Cutometer. Measurements were made on the face, upper arm and back.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age of subjects showed significant positive correlation with R4 and R6, and negative correlation with R2, R5 and R7. The face showed bigger changes of elastic properties than the arm and the back. Especially, the R7 of face was most significantly decreased with aging. We could estimate the so-called 'skin age' by using a correlation equation for this parameter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The viscoelastic properties were significantly influenced by aging. Also, significant regional variations in the viscoelastic properties were observed. Skin elasticity measurement is useful for the quantitative evaluation of age-related changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Sub
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Young Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Sun Ok
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoung Chan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Woong
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Youn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014783:Viscosity; D055815:Young Adult