Development of quantitative analysis for the micro-relief of the skin surface using a video microscope and its application to examination of skin surface texture

We developed a new analyzing method for characterizing a skin surface morphology image obtained easily by a video microscope. For the numerical analysis of various characteristics of the skin surface morphology, three parameters were invented; 'the width of the skin furrows,'the fineness of the skin ridges,' and 'the size of the skin pores.' The width of the skin furrows was calculated as mean width of the skin furrows. The fineness of the skin ridges was calculated as number of the skin ridges. The size of the skin pores was calculated as total area of skin pores. The analyzed parameters were compared with the clinical scores evaluated by trained experts, resulting in a high correlation (r = 0.54–0.72). Upon the age related changes in the parameters described above, the number of the skin ridges decreased at around the age of 20, and the size of the skin pores became large with aging during the teens through 40's. In the analysis of seasonal changes, the ridge parameter was high in summer, and the furrow parameter was high in winter. Upon the relationship between the images (the skin surface patterns) and the skin physiological parameters, the skin with a low barrier function (high TEWL) or that with high sebum content gave a low density of the skin ridges. From these results it seems that the image analysis of skin surface morphology using a video microscope is quite useful for an easy and simple evaluation of skin condition.