A comparison of different treatment regimes on the visual appearance and mechanical properties of mouse skin

Four different regimes of radiotherapy employed in the treatment of basal cell epitheliomas were compared in order to assess their effect on the visual appearance and mechanical properties of skin. Three groups of mice received exposures identical to those given in the radiotherapy treatments; three months after completion of the radiation the visual and mechanical properties of the skin and its appendages were examined. The skin scarring, coat condition, greying of hair, skin, thickness, load at rupture, extension at rupture, mechanical stress at rupture and stiffness were used as cirteria for comparing the four treatments. The treatment regime which caused the least damage to normal skin was identified.