FOITS (Fast Optical In-vivo Topometry of human Skin): neue Ansätze zur 3-D-Analyse von Oberflächenstrukturen menschlicher Haut - FOITS (Fast Optical In-vivo Topometry of human Skin): New Approaches to the 3D Analysis of Surface Structures of Human Skin

Abstract

FOITS (Fast Optical In-vivo Topometry of human Skin) is a new technique for the three-dimensional analysis of the microstructures of the skin. Based on the surface roughness standards used in the metal-working industry, it uses computer-assisted strip analysis to process information gathered from high-speed, non-contact scanning. It is possible to visualise the mathematical data in 3D form. So far, surface relief parameters have had to be acquired indirectly by first making silicone casts of the skin and then digitalising them with image analysis, mechanical scanners or, more recent, laser profilometry and confocal microscopy. We selected the roughness parameters Ra, Rz and Rmax (DIN defined) and "positive" and "negative" volume to describe the skin surface. In 40 healthy volunteers we were able to define significant intra-individual differences in these roughness parameters, which were correlated with the location of the area of skin being scanned (p < 0.05). When healthy areas of skin were compared with areas of chronic eczema in 10 patients with neurodermatitis the differences in the above-mentioned roughness parameters were just as striking (p < 0.05). In patients with chronic atopic eczema there was a statistically significant correlation between changes in the parameters "positive" and "negative" volume, and the smoothing of the skin seen after 14 days of treatment with standard ointments (p < 0.02). Apart from its industrial uses, we see potential applications for FOITS in the investigation of quantitative and qualitative aspects of aging processes, physiological and pathological processes in the skin, and the effect of topical preparations applied to the skin.

Porcine Ear Skin as a Biological Substrate for in vitro Testing of Sunscreen Performance

“…Different methods have been used for roughness measurement of human skin such as topographical analysis using the digital stripe projection technique [24], a stylus profilometry on skin replica [33], 3-dimensional optical in vivo topography analysis [34] and confocal scanning laser microscopy [35]. A nonexhaustive list of the invasive, semi-invasive and noninvasive methods is given in Corcuff and Piérard [36].…”

“…In this study, an area of 5 × 5 mm was scanned in 10-µm increment steps and the arithmetical mean height over an area, Sa (equation 1, ISO 25178 guideline [23]), was selected as a representative measure of skin surface topography [24]. This measure was also used for the PMMA plates.…”