[Stress and skin: experimental approach]

The effects of electric stress on epidermal cell mitosis, sebum production, hair growth and tumor induction, was studied in laboratory using Maynert and Levi's technique: reproducible electric stimulations were delivered in mice or hamsters in order to induce standardised stress. Such repeated stimulations increase cutaneous catecholamine concentrations in the early period. Repeated stress induce a decrease in keratinocyte and melanocyte mitoses, an increase of sebaceous excretion, and favours the development of outset of photoinduced tumors. The possible involvement of these data in human dermatopathology and clinical dermatology are discussed for each impaired cutaneous function: mitoses, hair growth, sebaceous function and anti-tumoral immunity.