skin turgor
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Related to skin turgor: Capillary refill
turgor
[ter´ger]1. swelling or other distention.
2. a condition of normal tension in a cell or group of cells; fullness. adj., adj tur´gid.
skin turgor a reflection of the skin's elasticity, measured by monitoring the time it takes for the skin of the forearm to return to position after it is lightly pinched between the examiner's thumb and forefinger. Normal turgor is a return to normal contour within three seconds; if the skin remains elevated (tented) more than three seconds, turgor is decreased.

Assessing skin turgor. From Lammon et al., 1995.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
skin turgor
The resistance of the skin to deformation, esp. to being grasped between the fingers. In a healthy person, when the skin on the back of the hand is grasped between the fingers and released, it returns to its normal appearance either immediately or relatively slowly. The state of hydration of the skin can determine which of these reactions occurs, but age is the most important factor. As a person ages, the skin returns much more slowly to its normal position after having been pinched between the fingers. The skin over the forehead or sternum may be used when assessing turgor in elderly persons.
See also: turgor
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