Advanced tools for in vivo skin analysis

A thorough examination of the skin is essential for accurate disease diagnostics, evaluation of the effectiveness of topically applied drugs and the assessment of the results of dermatologic surgeries such as skin grafts. Knowledge of skin parameters is also important in the cosmetics industry, where the effects of skin care products are evaluated. Due to significant progress in the electronics and computer industries, sophisticated analytic devices are increasingly available for day-to-day diagnostics. The aim of this article is to review several advanced methods for in vivo skin analysis in humans: magnetic resonance imaging, electron paramagnetic resonance, laser Doppler flowmetry and time domain reflectometry. The molecular bases of these techniques are presented, and several interesting applications in the field are discussed. Methods for in vivo assessment of the biomechanical properties of human skin are also reviewed.