A Surgical Incision Parallel to the Lines of Cleavage

Question

A surgical incision parallel to the lines of cleavage
A) closes and heals with relatively little scarring.
B) has a tendency to reopen.
C) heals slower than incisions made perpendicular to the lines of cleavage.
D) does not affect the healing process.
E) requires no sutures.

Accepted Answer

Surgical incisions made parallel to the lines of cleavage or tension lines in the skin allows for the edges of the skin to come together easily, resulting in less tension and stress during the healing process. This in turn causes relatively little scarring compared to incisions made perpendicular to the lines of cleavage.