Measurement of Skin Hardness with Durometer in Normal Korean Individuals

Lim, Ha Seong; Chung, Kee Yang

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The measurement of the hardness of a skin lesion is an important component of cutaneous examination in evaluating the progression of diseases such as scleroderma. Current methods to assess hardness have not gained wide acceptance because they tend to be cumbersome, time consuming, and costly.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to obtain the normal range of skin hardness according to anatomical sites, age groups and sex, and to show the differences among them.
METHODS
Ten different anatomical locations of 123 normal Korean individuals (61 males and 62 females) were measured with a durometer.
RESULTS
1. Skin hardness between the two sexes showed significant difference in extensor upper arm, extensor forearm, back, posterior thigh and calf. Excluding the extensor upper arm, male skin was generally harder than female. Shin and calf were significantly harder and flexor upper arm and abdomen were significantly softer than other areas. 2. The tendency of the hardness was similar in each age group. Shin was significantly harder than all other areas in 11-20, 21-30, and 51-60 age groups. Although flexor upper arm and abdomen showed statistically significant softness in 51-60 and >60 age groups, they tended to be softer than other areas in all age groups. 3. Although statistical significance was not seen among all the age groups, age group <11 tended to be harder than other age groups in flexor upper arm, extensor upper arm, flexor forearm and abdomen.
CONCLUSION
Skin hardness measured with a durometer showed variation according to sex, age and location. The durometer is an effective, reliable and easy tool especially for the follow-up of the changes in skin hardness in an individual.