Measurement of skin mechanics: A study of inter- and intra-individual variation using the Dermaflex A

Background/aims: Skin mechanics may be affected by a number of dermatological and systemic conditions, and reliable quantification of skin distension may therefore be of considerable interest. This study was undertaken in order to assess the intra-and inter-individual variation of measurements of skin distensibility when using Dermaflex A. Methods: Dermaflex is a suction device that measures the deformation of the skin surface within a 10- mm cup following application of given suction. Three levels of suction were studied on the flexural side of the forearm in 19 healthy volunteers. Results: Increasing levels of suction produced significantly increasing skin distension (P<0.0001) with a significant non-linear trend (P=0.0310). Inter-individual variation (coefficient of variation range 15.43-27.88%) was significantly larger than intra-individual variation (coefficient of variation range 9.16-11.45%, P=0.0031) throughout the range of suction tested. There was no significant difference between the intra- and inter-individual coefficients of variation with different levels of suction. Conclusion: The results suggest that measurements of skin distensibility can be a useful method for objective determination of skin mechanics.