Considering the effect of residual tension forces on the wavelength anisometry of skin imaging by 2D skin tension integrity model

Natural skin tension plays an important role during surgical procedures and during the healing process. Existing studies performed ex vivo give only a qualitative map of skin tension. In this study, we propose a quantitative characterization of skin tension in vivo using a new model. This model consists in calculating the tension indices based on the equilibrium equation, and uses the Fourier transform. The study was carried out on 42 volunteers. Tension indices are calculated primarily from skin topology images performed on seven body areas: forearm, thigh, cheek, belly, upper chest, and arm (front and back face). A feasibility study of applying the model to LC-OCT and confocal microscopy images was then carried out. The results show that the skin tension is higher in the family of tension lines, and lower in the family of lines perpendicular to the tension lines. The tension indices quantify the state of the skin tension forces and allow to classify body areas according to their state of tension. With age, the skin loses its tension, leading to an imbalance of tension forces between the two families of lines. The results also show that the model can be used on deep skin images to study fiber tension.