Visualizing dynamic three-dimensional changes of human reticular dermal collagen under mechanical strain.

Research into skin microstructural adaptation to mechanical deformation has only been performed using static regimes due to technical limitations. We combine uniaxial stretch tests with fast Second Harmonic Generation imaging to investigate dynamic collagen rearrangement in reticular human dermis. Ex vivo human skin from the abdomen and upper thigh was simulateneously uniaxially stretched while either periodically visualizing 3D reorganization, or visualizing 2D changes in real time.