Cutiscan® - A new system of biomechanical evaluation of the skin in vivo - comparative study of use depending on the anatomical site

Skin is a complex biomaterial. One of its characteristics is anisotropy due to fiber alignment, resulting from prolonged exposure to a surrounding stress state. This property is important in experimental studies of skin biomechanics and in experimental dermatology. During the last decades, several devices have been developed to study the cutaneous physiology. The CutiScan®, one of the latest, provides information not only about the elastic and viscoelastic properties, but also on anisotropy and directionality of the skin. The aim of this study is to investigate the changes in the biomechanical properties of human skin due to the anatomical site, combined with a study on the benefits and limitations of the CutiScan®, and also comparing it with other more studied devices the Cutometer® and the Reviscometer®. 20 volunteers were engaged in this investigation after an informed consent. Measurements were conducted in three different anatomical sites (forehead, forearm and leg) with each device. Results showed that devices were able to identify significant differences among anatomical sites. The CutiScan® enabled a more complete assessment of skin’s biomechanical properties, since it provides real-time images and 360o elasticity curves that allowed the simultaneous study of viscoelasticity and anisotropy.