Figure 2.

Increased skin viscoelasticity post‐menopause is associated with increasing age and decreasing oestrogen levels. Using a Cutometer and 4‐mm diameter probe the biomechanical properties of photoprotected buttock skin were measured and (a) mean time‐strain curves generated for each group (Pre, n = 7; Post, n = 10; HRT, n = 10) prior to calculation of the different elastic measures (R parameters). From the curves: (a) R0 (total deformation) and R6 (viscoelasticity) were calculated and; (b) associations between age and cutometry parameters, R0 and R6, were assessed in females (F; n = 17: Pre n = 7 and Post n = 10) and in a group of age‐matched males (M; n = 29). (c) Associations between serum oestradiol levels and R0 and R6 were also assessed in females (n = 27: Pre n = 7, Post n = 10, and HRT n = 10). Data presented as mean ± SD. Statistical analysis by Kruskal–Wallis test with Dunn's multiple comparisons (R0), one‐way ANOVA with Holm‐Sidak's multiple comparisons (R6) and Pearson's correlation, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.