Abstract: To study the effect of gender and anatomical regions on the biological and tribological properties of human skin, we measured friction coefficients of six different anatomical regions of human skin by using a portable friction measuring machine. The results showed that the individual differences in friction coefficients of forehead, extensor and flexor aspect of arm, and dorsum were relatively lower than those of cheek and palm. The friction coefficients of cheek and palm of female were much higher than those of male (P<0.05), but the friction coefficients of both extensor and flexor aspect of arm of female were much lower than those of male (P<0.05), friction coefficients of forehead and dorsum manus showed no significant differences between the genders (P>0.05). The friction coefficients were clearly different among anatomical regions (P>0.05), the anatomical regions with the highest to the lowest friction coefficients listed as: cheeks > palm > forehead > dorsum manus > flexor aspect and extensor aspect of arm for both male and female. The experiments provided a method to understand the skin character from tribological point of view.

Key words: skin, friction, gender, anatomical region

Author: GONG Juanqin, Institute of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Nanjing 210042, China

E-mail: juanqingong@yahoo.com.cn

Tribology, Vol. 30, Issue 3, 2010, 315~320