The mechanical resistance of the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of skin, to deformation has been evaluated at different length scales using atomic force microscopy. Nanomechanical surface mapping revealed that Young's modulus of the stratum corneum varied over the surface with a mean value of about 0.4 GPa. Force indentation measurements showed permanent deformation of the skin surface only at high applied loads (above 4 μN). Force measurements utilizing the single hair fiber probe supported the nanoindentation results of the stratum corneum being highly elastic at the nanoscale, but revealed that the lateral scale of the deformation determines the effective elastic modulus.This result resolves the fact that the reported values in the literature vary greatly and will help to understand the biophysics of the interaction of razor cut hairs that curl back during growth and interact with the skin.

Nanomechanical properties of the stratum corneum and its interaction with a single hair fiber

251st National Meeting (2016)

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