A quantitative ultrastructural study of collagen fibrils in human skin, normal scars, and hypertrophic scars.

The diameter-distribution of collagen fibrils in the dermis of human skin and scar tissue has been investigated. In samples of normal skin, normal scar, and hypertrophic scar, prepared for transmission electron microscopy, collagen fibrils were systematically random-sampled and their diameters measured. There was a statistically significant difference between the diameter-distribution of fibrils in the papillary and reticular layers of dermis in normal skin. A similar pattern was found in normal scar, but not in hypertrophic scar.