PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a discriminating technique for easily and objectively estimating "the sagging degree of the skin" based on the correlation with skin functions such as the state of the tension and flexibility of the skin, and a technique of discriminating a skin sagging degree-improving effect by a cosmetic or an operation or the like using the discriminating technique.SOLUTION: The discriminating method is the method of discriminating the sagging degree of the skin, and the sagging degree of the skin defined as a visual and morphological skin sagging amount supported by a skin viscoelastic characteristics is estimated on the basis of the correlation of the sagging amount of the skin and the propagation time of shock waves.COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT【課題】皮膚のハリ・柔軟性の状態などの皮膚機能との相関性に基づいた、「皮膚のタルミ度合い」を、簡便且つ客観的に推定する鑑別技術、及び該鑑別技術を用いて化粧料や施術等による皮膚のタルミ度合い改善効果を鑑別する技術を提供する。【解決手段】皮膚のタルミ度合いの鑑別法であって、皮膚のたるみ量と衝撃波の伝搬時間との相関関係に基づいて、皮膚粘弾性特性に裏付けられた、視覚的形態学的皮膚のたるみ量として定義された皮膚のタルミ度合いを推定する。【選択図】図6
