Correlations between Dermal Torque Meter®, Cutometer®, and Dermal Phase Meter® measurements of human skin.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Dermal Torque Meter® (DTM) and the Cutometer® are instruments that measure mechanical properties of skin. The NOVA(tm) Dermal Phase Meter® (DPM) measures the stratum corneum (SC) hydration level. The objectives of this study were to determine which parameters of the DTM data curves were most sensitive to changes in SC hydration level, which of the two instruments (Cutometer or DTM) was most sensitive, and what correlations existed between the Cutometer and DTM data.

METHODS

Dry leg skin was created on nine subjects by washing with soap and using no moisturizers for one week. The skin was then treated with moisturizing lotions for two weeks. Measurements were made with the Cutometer, DTM, and DPM pre- and post-treatment.

RESULTS

Significant changes in DPM, DTM, and Cutometer measurements were found after the moisturizer treatment. However, correlations were not found between mechanical property data and DPM data. The DTM had the two parameters with the highest sensitivity of all of the DTM and Cutometer parameters. Finally, correlations between the two instruments existed for only three of the ten parameters investigated.

CONCLUSIONS

While measurements with all three instruments significantly changed in response to skin hydration, neither the DTM nor Cutometer data tended to correlate with DPM data, perhaps due to the differences in the depths into the skin which each instrument measures. Furthermore, the mechanical properties measured by the two instruments do not correlate well between the instruments. Finally, the DTM was found to have the most sensitive parameters.