INFLUENCE OF AGING ON THE IN-VIVO MECHANICS OF THE SKIN

The response of the skin to common in vivo tests (in-plane uniaxial st retch, torsion, indentation and levarometry) is analyzed in terms of t heir suitability for ageing studies. The analysis suggests that low-lo ad indentation and small deformation levarometry are well suited for a geing studies since the skin response under these tests can be directl y related to its structure and constituent properties (known to be aff ected by ageing). The measured forehead skin response under these test s in 'young' (20-26 years) and 'old' (64-80 years) subjects is present ed and compared with predictions of corresponding models. The results show that levarometry is more sensitive to ageing than indentometry.