cleavage line, any one of a number of linear striations in the skin that delineate the general structural pattern, direction, and tension of the subcutaneous fibrous tissue. They correspond closely to the crease lines on the surface of the skin and are present in all areas of the body but are visible only in certain sites, such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. In general the lines run obliquely, lying in the direction in which the skin stretches the least, perpendicular to the direction of the greatest stretch. Incisions made parallel to these lines heal with much less scarring than those made perpendicular to them. To a certain degree, cleavage lines determine the direction and arrangement of lesions in skin diseases. Also called Langer’s line.
