Skin Surface Contour Research Articles

Assessment of skin surface by scanning densitometry of macrophotographs.

Summary There are no established techniques for the measurement of scaliness and skin smoothness. In this paper a new photographic technique for assessment of the skin surface is described. Photographic negatives of the skin surface taken under standardized conditions arc scanned on a densitometer and the scan tracing length used as a measure of roughness. The technique has been used to assess (a) the roughening effect of adhesive tape stripping, (b) the smoothing effect of emollient preparations, and (c) the alterations in roughness of scaling dermatoses during treatment. It has been found to be reproducible and to correlate well with assessment of skin surface contour.

The variability of skin surface contours.

Normalised autocorrelation functions were used to assess the variability of the contour scans produced from replicas of the skin surface of normal subjects. Systematic errors due to the presence of abnormal scans were detected by the occurrence of low values associated with specific scans. Mean harmonic coefficients were calculated and shown, by using the correlation technique, to be reliable representations of the skin surface contours.

An adjunct to mammoplasty: The pectoral muscle flap

The pectoralis major muscle has overcome many of the complications of augmentation mammoplasty. after subcutaneous mastectomy. It places the implant deep to prevent skin slough and irregularities in skin surface contour. The flap eliminates abnormal implant posture when the pectoralis major is contracted. The short (5 to 7 days) staging of the procedure allows sealing of the pocket from external innoculation of bacteria while preventing unretrievable skin and nipple shrinkage.