surface 176 is inserted within a tension line slot 129 defined by the tension line tab 128 of the skin anchor 125 as the tension line tab 128 abuts against the front of the snout 172 with this feature the tensioning apparatus 140 can be allowed to move with the anchor 125 as the skin is stretched toward the wound 12 it will be appreciated that although the tensioning apparatus is depicted as a unit that is separate from the skin anchor that it is attached to the tensioning apparatus may include an integrally formed anchoring means adapted to anchor the tensioning apparatus to external skin as seen in fig1 anchors 125 a 125 b 125 c are placed around the periphery of wound 12 each anchor 125 is mechanically fastened to the skin such as by conventional medical skin staples suturing can also be used to mechanically attach anchors 125 to the skin referring to fig2 two skin anchors 125 of the stretching element 120 are generally illustrated therein each anchor 125 includes a first end 121 a second opposite end 123 and a generally rectangular body 124 defined between the first end 121 and the second end 123 the anchor 125 includes two skin penetrating barbs 122 proximate the first end 121 for securement to the skin the barbs 122 preferably have a bearing surface with a large enough width perpendicular to the direction of the tension so that the barbs 122.