An appliance, comprising: a cyclical mechanical strain component configured to cause induction of mechanical strain within a portion of skin sufficient to modulate one or more cutaneous proteins; wherein the cyclical mechanical strain component is configured to apply a mechanical strain to a portion of skin for a duration sufficient to affect upregulation of one or more epidermis-associated proteins without substantially affecting upregulation of one or more dermoepidermal-junction-associated proteins or one or more dermis-associated proteins in the portion of skin; wherein applying the mechanical strain to a portion of skin includes applying a cyclical mechanical strain having a peak cyclic or oscillation frequency ranging from about 30 hertz to about 50 hertz for a duration sufficient to affect upregulation of one or more epidermis-associated proteins without substantially affecting upregulation of one or more dermoepidermal-j unction-associated proteins or dermis-associated proteins in the portion of skin; wherein the cyclical mechanical strain component includes circuitry operably coupled to an end effector configured to cause induction of mechanical strain within a portion of skin, characterized in that the end effector includes a plurality of contact points each located at a target distance from each other that is based on an inverse of a target stimulation frequency at which the end effector is configured to contact the portion of skin, wherein the contact points are located at a target distance from each other that is a whole integer increment of the inverse of the stimulation frequency, using the speed of sound in skin, and wherein the appliance is configured to move the end effector in a motion selected from the group consisting of oscillation, vibration, reciprocation, rotation, cyclical, and combinations thereof. a cyclical mechanical strain component configured to cause induction of mechanical strain within a portion of skin sufficient to modulate one or more cutaneous proteins; wherein the cyclical mechanical strain component is configured to apply a mechanical strain to a portion of skin for a duration sufficient to affect upregulation of one or more epidermis-associated proteins without substantially affecting upregulation of one or more dermoepidermal-junction-associated proteins or one or more dermis-associated proteins in the portion of skin; wherein applying the mechanical strain to a portion of skin includes applying a cyclical mechanical strain having a peak cyclic or oscillation frequency ranging from about 30 hertz to about 50 hertz for a duration sufficient to affect upregulation of one or more epidermis-associated proteins without substantially affecting upregulation of one or more dermoepidermal-j unction-associated proteins or dermis-associated proteins in the portion of skin; wherein the cyclical mechanical strain component includes circuitry operably coupled to an end effector configured to cause induction of mechanical strain within a portion of skin, characterized in that the end effector includes a plurality of contact points each located at a target distance from each other that is based on an inverse of a target stimulation frequency at which the end effector is configured to contact the portion of skin, wherein the contact points are located at a target distance from each other that is a whole integer increment of the inverse of the stimulation frequency, using the speed of sound in skin, and wherein the appliance is configured to move the end effector in a motion selected from the group consisting of oscillation, vibration, reciprocation, rotation, cyclical, and combinations thereof.