Fractional CO2 -laser versus microneedle radiofrequency for acne scars: A randomized, single treatment, split-face trial.

BACKGROUND: Ablative fractional CO2 laser (AFL) is an established first-line energy-based treatment for acne scars. Microneedle radiofrequency (MNRF) is an emerging treatment, also targeting the skin in fractions. No studies have so far compared AFL with MNRF for acne scars in a direct controlled, side-by-side comparison. In this study, we compared AFL and MNRF treatments for acne scars in a randomized split-face trial with blinded response evaluation, objective measures, and patient-reported outcomes. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fifteen patients with moderate to severe acne scars were included. At baseline each patient had two similar test areas identified, these were randomized to receive a single treatment with either AFL or MNRF. Standardized multilayer techniques were applied with AFL and MNRF, first targeting the scar base, thereafter the entire scar area. Outcome measures included blinded evaluation of clinical improvement of scar texture (0-10 scale) at 1- and 3-months follow-up, local skin reactions (LSR), pain according to Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), skin integrity quantified by transepidermal water loss, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Fifteen patients completed the study with a median test area size of 24.6 cm2 (interquartile range [IQR] 14.9-40.6). A single treatment with AFL or MNRF equally resulted in a median 1-point texture improvement after 3 months follow-up (p < 0.001). Best responders achieved up to a 3-point improvement (n = 3 test areas, 10% of treatment areas). Erythema and loss of skin integrity was more intense after AFL compared with MNRF after 2-4 days (p < 0.001). Patients reported MNRF (VAS 7.0) to be significantly more painful than AFL (5.5) (p = 0.009). Patients were generally satisfied with the overall outcome on a 10-point scale at median 6 for both treatments (IQR 5-7). CONCLUSION: AFL and MNRF treatments are equally effective at improving texture in skin with acne scars. AFL resulted in more pronounced LSRs whereas MNRF was more painful. Patients were generally satisfied with the overall outcome.

Ivermectin treatment in rosacea: How novel smartphone technology can support monitoring rosacea-associated signs and symptoms.

Rosacea lessens patients' quality of life not only by visible symptoms like erythema, papules, and pustules but also by invisible symptoms like stinging, burning, and dryness. Ivermectin 1% cream has recently been introduced as an efficient therapy for papules and pustules in rosacea patients. To investigate the potential of ivermectin 1% cream to improve rosacea-associated erythema and invisible symptoms by combining established questionnaires with the novel photography and analysis tool Scarletred®Vision. We performed an open monocentric pilot study including 25 Caucasian patients presenting with moderate to severe rosacea with erythema, less than 10 papules and/or pustules, and ≥ 15 Demodex mites/cm2 . Patients applied 1 g of ivermectin 1% cream (Soolantra®) once a day for ≥16 weeks. Skin symptoms were recorded at baseline, week 8 and ≥ week 16. Grade of erythema was determined by clinician erythema assessment (CEA) and patient self-assessment (PSA). Severity of invisible skin symptoms (stinging and/or burning, dryness, itching) were assessed by questionnaire. Erythema and skin texture were additionally quantified using Scarletred®Vision. Ivermectin 1% cream significantly reduced invisible symptoms of rosacea (stinging and/or burning, dryness: p < 0.0001; itching p < 0.001; at ≥16 weeks). Analysis with Scarletred®Vision confirmed CEA and PSA results for improvement of erythema (p < 0.0001; at ≥16 weeks) and skin roughness (p < 0.001; at ≥16 weeks). Treatment with ivermectin 1% cream is efficient in treating not only rosacea-associated papules and pustules but also erythema and invisible skin symptoms.

Clinical and histologic evaluation of a fractional radiofrequency treatment of wrinkles and skin texture with novel 1-mm long ultra-thin electrode pins.

BACKGROUND: Fractional radiofrequency (RF) microneedling technologies have shown effectiveness in treating skin laxity and wrinkles. We report the first experience using a novel device with 1-mm long ultrathin electrodes that utilizes a smooth RF-assisted ablation mode. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treatment with a fractional RF device using 1.0-mm long × 0.15-mm diameter ultrathin electrode tips for improvement of facial skin texture and wrinkles. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This was a prospective, open-label, intraindividual-controlled trial. Nine participants (mean age: 47.6, Fitzpatrick skin type II-IV, Fitzpatrick Elastosis Wrinkle Scale [FEWS] score: 3-6) underwent six treatment sessions with a fractional RF technology utilizing an array of 6 × 6 1-mm long ultrathin electrodes. Treatment effectiveness was assessed by FEWS and the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS). Safety and tolerance were evaluated. RESULTS: Three months after the sixth treatment session, blinded, investigator-assessed FEWS decreased from baseline 4.33 ± 0.67-3.33 ± 0.67 (p < 0.005); 88.9% of participants showed overall skin improvement using the physician-assessed GAIS, and all of the participants reported improvement in skin texture and wrinkles. Treatment was well tolerated, with no adverse events and no downtime. Histological analysis in a porcine model showed a fractional pattern of epidermal ablation and dermal coagulation with intervening zones of normal healthy tissue. These changes were followed by progressive epithelialization over a period of 13 days. CONCLUSION: The fractional RF technology with the novel 1.0 long × 0.15 mm ultrathin electrodes tips was effective in improving skin texture and wrinkles without impacting the participants' daily activities.

Assessing the effects of Kampo medicine on human skin texture and microcirculation.

In this study, we verified the effectiveness of Kampo medicine by evaluating the changes in the feature values of facial skin texture and microcirculation at two distinct tissue depths (subcutaneous 2 mm and 8 mm). A total of 80 patients who took the Kampo formula participated in this study, and the changes in the feature values of facial skin texture and microcirculation were measured before and after Kampo treatment. The treatment period lasted 6-18 months, according to the doctor's judgment. The total area of the sulci cutis and the average thickness of the sulci cutis significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the pixels of the grayscale image increased after Kampo treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, the blood flow velocity at 8 mm depth significantly increased after Kampo treatment (P < 0.05). In this study, we specifically noted changes in the skin texture and microcirculation after Kampo treatment.

Objective and quantitative measurement of skin micro-relief by image analysis and application in age-dependent changes.

BACKGROUND: Skin micro-relief has been researched by a variety of devices and methods, which usually are expensive or complicated. On the other hand, skin micro-relief relates to quite a few parameters, and it is hard to evaluate all of them at the same time. In the study, all parameters related to skin micro-relief are extracted and evaluated by image analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Skin micro-relief evaluation was divided into four aspects: (a) Tamura features method was used to evaluate skin surface. (b) Morphological transform was applied to extract skin pores. (c) Watershed transform was applied to extract skin furrows. (d) labeling operation was used to evaluate the number, area and average area of skin closed polygons. Then, cheek images from 163 healthy Japanese females (0-70 years old) are analyzed to explore the age-dependent changes. RESULTS: Most parameters increased as age went on with significant differences, such as skin surface coarseness, contrast, skin pore number, area, average area, skin furrow width, skin closed polygon area and skin closed polygon average area. Skin coarseness has a strong correlation with pore area. CONCLUSION: The method proposed in the study provided a comprehensive and effective assessment of skin micro-relief.

Split-Sided Chest Study of Skin Rejuvenation Comparing Low-Energy, 1,927-nm Thulium Fractional Laser Treatment Prior to Photodynamic Therapy Versus Photodynamic Therapy Alone.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Treatment of photoaging and intrinsic aging of the chest, with the associated concerns of skin roughness, uneven pigmentation, laxity, atrophy, and telangiectasias, can be problematic because of the potential for worsened esthetic outcomes with existing treatments. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of using nonablative fractional laser therapy (FLT) pretreatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) versus PDT alone for chest rejuvenation. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomized, evaluator-blinded, split-sided study, adult female patients with photodamage to the chest received three treatment courses over an 8-week period with follow-up visits at Weeks 12 and 20. FLT was applied to one side of the chest, randomly assigned at baseline, followed by aminolevulinic acid-based PDT, delivered using a thermal, short incubation, broad area technique, to both sides of the chest. In-person and photographic assessments were conducted using five-point scales to evaluate outcomes including rhytides, pigmentation, skin texture, and telangiectasias. RESULTS: Eleven adults completed the study, of whom 11 had improved scores for rhytides and 10 had improved scores for skin texture at Week 20. There was no significant difference in any efficacy outcome between FLT and PDT and standard PDT alone. The severity of adverse events was rated significantly greater with the combined FLT-PDT treatment vs PDT alone. CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvements were observed vs baseline for both sides of the chest treated with FLT-PDT or standard PDT following three treatment sessions. No significant difference in efficacy was observed between treatment approaches, although adverse events were more severe on the FLT-pretreated side. This study was not registered as it qualified as a nonsignificant risk study. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 The Authors. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Age-dependent skin texture analysis and evaluation using mobile camera image.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate skin condition, expensive equipment is required, continuous skin care is difficult. Therefore, we obtain the skin image using mobile camera, and propose a new algorithm that easily and simply extracts skin features. METHODS: We analyze skin features, extracting the wrinkle length, cell area, and the number of cells. To get accurate skin features, we obtain a new skin binary image, and apply Watershed segmentation to it. So, we improve the accuracy of skin analysis. Therefore, we compare and analyze the degree of matching distribution of wrinkles, the shape of the cell, etc., using similarity between the ground truth and the proposed algorithm result image. RESULTS: We extract skin surface features using a mobile camera image, and verify the change in skin features with age. Also, we demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm through the similarity between the ground truth and proposed result image. CONCLUSION: The proposed method in this study shows that the skin surface can be quantitatively evaluated by the similarity with ground truth. We also propose a method to diagnose and manage individual skin condition using a mobile camera in real life.

Comparison of two skin imaging analysis instruments: The VISIA® from Canfield vs the ANTERA 3D® CS from Miravex.

BACKGROUND: The skin imaging analysis instruments are widely used to record and measure the surface and subsurface skin conditions. The main aim of this study is to reveal the differences and correlations in measuring wrinkle, skin texture, coloration/evenness, vascular features, and pore between two commercially available instruments. METHODS: Twenty-eight subjects were enrolled in the study. A 2*2 cm cardboard was used to make sure the two instruments analyze the same area. Pictures were taken and analyzed by the VISIA® from Canfield and the ANTERA 3D® CS from Miravex, in sequence. RESULTS: The spot, ultraviolet spot, brown spot, red area, texture values measured with VISIA® were positively correlated with age, while the pore and wrinkle values showed no significance. The wrinkle, texture, melanin, hemoglobin, pore index, pore volume values measured with ANTERA 3D® had a significantly positive correlation with age. The spot, brown spot values from VISIA® were positively correlated with the melanin value from ANTERA 3D® . Texture value measured with the two instruments revealed positive linear correlation. Strong correlation was found between the red area value from VISIA® and the hemoglobin value from ANTERA 3D® . Ultraviolet spot from VISIA® showed no linear correlation with the melanin value from ANTERA 3D® . Neither of the wrinkle and pore measured with the two instruments showed linear correlation. CONCLUSIONS: ANTERA 3D® relies on multidirectional illumination obtained by LEDs of different wavelengths from different directions which make it advanced at the qualitative evaluation of various dermatologic conditions. Compared with VISIA® , ANTERA 3D® is more sensitive in the assessment of wrinkle and it may also be available to evaluate the aging-related enlarged pore.

3D skin surface reconstruction from a single image by merging global curvature and local texture using the guided filtering for 3D haptic palpation.

BACKGROUND: Skin surface evaluation has been studied using various imaging techniques. However, all these studies had limited impact because they were performed using visual exam only. To improve on this scenario with haptic feedback, we propose 3D reconstruction of the skin surface using a single image. Unlike extant 3D skin surface reconstruction algorithms, we utilize the local texture and global curvature regions, combining the results for reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The first entails the reconstruction of global curvature, achieved by bilateral filtering that removes noise on the surface while maintaining the edge (ie, furrow) to obtain the overall curvature. The second entails the reconstruction of local texture, representing the fine wrinkles of the skin, using an advanced form of bilateral filtering. The final image is then composed by merging the two reconstructed images. RESULTS: We tested the curvature reconstruction part by comparing the resulting curvatures with measured values from real phantom objects while local texture reconstruction was verified by measuring skin surface roughness. Then, we showed the reconstructed result of our proposed algorithm via the reconstruction of various real skin surfaces. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach is a promising technology to reconstruct an accurate skin surface with a single skin image. CONCLUSION: We proposed 3D skin surface reconstruction using only a single camera. We highlighted the utility of global curvature, which has not been considered important in the past. Thus, we proposed a new method for 3D reconstruction that can be used for 3D haptic palpation, dividing the concepts of local and global regions.

Effects of Facial Skin Smoothness and Blemishes on Trait Impressions.

People make trait inferences based on facial appearance, and these inferences guide social approach and avoidance. Here, we investigate the effects of textural features on trait impressions from faces. In contrast to previous work, which exclusively manipulated skin smoothness, we manipulated smoothness and the presence of skin blemishes independently (Study 1) and orthogonally (Study 2). We hypothesized that people are particularly sensitive to skin blemishes because blemishes potentially indicate poor health and the presence of an infectious disease. We therefore predicted that the negative effect of blemished skin is stronger than the positive effect of smoothed skin. The results of both studies are in line with this reasoning. Across ratings of trustworthiness, competence, maturity, attractiveness, and health, the negative influence of skin blemishes was stronger and more consistent than the positive influence of skin smoothness (Study 1). Moreover, the presence of skin blemishes diminished the positive effect of skin smoothness on attractiveness ratings (Study 2). In sum, both facial skin blemishes and facial skin smoothness influence trait impression, but the negative effect of blemished skin is larger and more salient than the positive effect of smooth skin.

Personal identification based on skin texture features from the forearm and multi-modal imaging.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: We investigate the use of skin texture features from the inner forearm as a means for personal identification. The forearm offers a number of potential advantages in that it is a fairly accessible area, and, compared with other zones such as fingertips, is less exposed to the elements and more shielded from wear. METHODS: We extract and combine skin textural features from two imaging devices (optical and capacitive) with the aim of discriminating between different individuals. Skin texture images from 43 subjects were acquired from three different body parts (back of the hand, forearm and palm); testing used the two sensors either separately or in combination. RESULTS: Skin texture features from the forearm proved effective for discriminating between different individuals with overall recognition accuracy approaching 96%. CONCLUSIONS: We found that skin texture features from the forearm are highly individual-specific and therefore suitable for personal identification. Interestingly, forearm skin texture features yielded significantly better accuracy compared to the skin of the back of the hand and of the palm of the same subjects.

Topical corticosteroid has no influence on inflammation or efficacy after ingenol mebutate treatment of grade I to III actinic keratoses (AK): A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Ingenol mebutate (IngMeb) is approved for treatment of actinic keratoses (AK) and may cause unpredictable local skin responses (LSR). OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate whether IngMeb-induced LSR, pain, and pruritus could be alleviated with a topical glucocorticoid and, further, to assess efficacy, cosmetic outcome, and patient satisfaction in patients with severe photodamage. METHODS: In this blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial, patients with multiple AK and field cancerization of the face or scalp were treated in 2 areas with IngMeb (0.015%) daily for 3 days. After finalized IngMeb treatment, 1 area was randomized to receive topical clobetasol propionate (0.05%) twice daily for 4 days. Assessments included LSR (0-24; days 1, 4, 8, 15, 57), pain (0-10) and pruritus (0-3; days 1-15), AK clearance (days 15, 57), and cosmetic outcome (0-3; day 57). RESULTS: Clobetasol propionate application had no influence on LSR (P = .939), pain (P = .500), pruritus (P = .312), or AK cure rate (P = .991). Overall, IngMeb cleared 86% of all AK lesions, exerting a therapeutic effect on all AK severity grades; cure rates were 88%, 70%, and 60% for grade I, II, and III AK, respectively. Skin texture improved significantly in remedied areas (2.0 vs 1.0; P < .001); no hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, or scarring were observed. LIMITATIONS: These results do not provide safety and efficacy beyond 2 months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Application of clobetasol propionate does not alleviate IngMeb-induced LSR after 3 days of IngMeb treatment.

Split-face comparison between single-band and dual-band pulsed light technology for treatment of photodamage.

BACKGROUND: Intense pulsed light (IPL) has a well-recognized role in the treatment of photodamaged skin. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of a novel single-band IPL handpiece versus dual-band IPL handpiece in the treatment of photodamage. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, single-center split-face study with 20 enrolled participants. Three treatments, 21 days apart, were administered to the subjects and follow-up was performed for 20 weeks. The left side of the face was treated with the single-band handpiece. The right side of the face was treated with the dual-band handpiece. Blinded investigators assessed the subjects' skin texture, pigmented components of photodamage, and presence of telangiectasia both before and after treatment, utilizing a five-point scale. RESULTS: Pigmented components of photodamage, skin texture, and presence of telangiectasias on the left and right side of the face were improved at the end of treatment. At 20-week follow-up, the side treated with single-band handpiece showed improvement in telangiectasia and pigmentation that was statistically superior to the contralateral side treated with the dual-band handpiece. Both devices equally improved textural changes. No adverse effects were noted with either device. CONCLUSION: Both single-band and dual-band IPL technology are safe and effective in the treatment of photodamaged facial skin. IPL treatment with a single-band handpiece yielded results comparable or superior to dual-band technology.

New analysis methods for skin fine-structure via optical image and development of 3D skin Cycloscan(™).

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop methods for measuring skin fine-structure via optical image and apparatus for photographing to analyze efficacy of anti-aging. METHODS: We developed an apparatus named 3D Skin CycloScan(™) to evaluate the efficacy of cosmetics by imagification of skin fine-structure such as wrinkles, pores, and skin texture. The semi-sphere shaped device has 12 different sequential flashing light sources captures optical image simultaneously in one second to exclude the influence of the subject's movement. The normal map that is extracted through shape from shading method is composed of face contour and skin fine-structure parts. When the low-frequency component which is the result of the Gaussian Filter application is eliminated, we can get only skin fine-structure. In this normal map, it is possible to extract two-dimensional vector map called direction map and we can regulate the intensity of the image of wrinkles, pores, and skin texture after filtering the direction map. We performed a clinical study to apply this new apparatus and methods to evaluate an anti-aging efficacy of cosmetics visually and validate with other conventional methods. RESULTS: After using anti-aging cream including 2% adenosine for 8 weeks, the total amount of fine wrinkle around eye area detected via 3D Skin CycloScan(™) was reduced by 12.1%. Also, wrinkles on crow's feet measured by PRIMOS COMPACT(®) (GFMesstechnik GmbH, Germany) reduced 11.7%. CONCLUSION: According to an aspect of the present study, by changing the direction of the lights toward to subject's skin, we can obtain the information about the fine structures present on the skin such as wrinkles, pores, or skin texture and represent it as an image.

Skin texture aging trend analysis using dermoscopy images.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To date, the degree of skin damage caused by diverse factors, such as aging and persistent sunlight exposure, has been evaluated based on the personal experience and knowledge of dermatologists because there is no standard method for objective evaluation. If a standard method were available, patients could obtain more consistent information about their skin condition, and hence perform more effective treatment of the skin damage. In this paper, we demonstrate how to establish a standard method using dermoscopy images of subjects of various ages. We focus on three body parts, specifically the face, neck, and hands, and extract various skin texture features to quantitatively and objectively represent the skin condition. METHOD: We construct a model for skin damage evaluation based on various skin texture features. To accomplish this objective, we consider various features from face, neck, and hand dermoscopy images, including texture length, width and depth, cell area, the number of cells in a fixed region, radius ratio of inscribed and circumscribed circles of a wrinkle cell, and average perimeter of a wrinkle cell. In this study, a wrinkle cell represents the smallest skin region enclosed by textures. We then perform a linear regression for texture features based on subject age. RESULT: A dermoscopy image can be automatically analyzed by extracting skin texture features. We demonstrate aging trends by performing linear regression on these features. Based on this result, a quantitative and objective evaluation of the skin condition can be provided. CONCLUSION: We proposed several new skin texture features and developed algorithms to accurately extract them. We analyzed these features and demonstrated their age-related change trends by using graphs and charts. We believe that our result can be used as a standard method for evaluating degrees of skin damage. Moreover, we believe that our proposed method can be applied in various areas, such as performance evaluation of certain skin products.

A quantitative evaluation method of skin texture affected by skin ageing using replica images of the cheek.

OBJECTIVE: Skin texture is a fine structure of skin surface where the hill and furrow were crossed to form a star shape. This study was performed to establish a quantitative evaluation method of skin texture affected by skin ageing using replica images of the cheek. METHODS: After producing replicas of the left cheek areas of 80 female subjects, representative replica images were chosen to establish six-level facial skin texture index. Using this new index, skin texture of different-aged subjects was visually assessed by multiple examiners. The number of star configurations was also analysed using the same replica images. Other factors contributing to skin texture, such as skin elasticity, roughness, dermal density, moisture and gloss, were also analysed. RESULTS: The concordance between skin texture scores evaluated by three researchers was high (0.896), and there was a high correlation between skin texture score and age (r = 0.642). The number of star configurations showed high correlations with skin texture scores (r = 0.753) and with age (r = 0.776). Skin texture scores were highly correlated with skin roughness and dermal density, but not with moisture, gloss and elasticity. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that visual grading of skin texture score based on new facial skin texture index and quantification of star configurations will be useful in evaluating skin ageing.

Influence of differences in washing methods on skin texture.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of different body washing methods on skin texture. METHODS: Subjects were nine healthy women in their 20s. Skin on the inside of the forearms was washed every day for 4 weeks with protective washing (right forearm) and with non-protective washing (left forearm). We performed comparison of the right forearm and the left forearm. For the evaluation of skin texture, the interval of the sulcus cutis, and the mean and variance of the thickness of the sulcus cutis on digitized images were measured. Moreover, the numbers of equilateral triangles consisting of sulcus cutis were counted to evaluate skin texture. RESULTS: From the first week, the interval of sulcus cutis was significantly narrower with protective washing than with non-protective washing. The numbers of equilateral triangles increased significantly more with protective washing than with non-protective washing in weeks 1, 2 and 4. Although this study found no significant difference in mean of the thickness of the sulcus cutis, the interval of sulcus cutis and the number of triangles differed significantly with protective washing. The narrower intervals between sulcus cutis mean finer-textured skin and sulcus cutis are formed by triangles or quadrilaterals, and the more uniform these shapes are, the finer and more regular the texture Therefore, skin texture may have become finer as a result of protective washing. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that protective washing produces an even skin texture. They also suggest that number of equilateral triangles, as used in this study, may be useful as an index of skin texture.

The Effects of a Fasting Mimicking Diet on Skin Hydration, Skin Texture, and Skin Assessment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Diet and nutrition have been shown to impact dermatological conditions. This has increased attention toward integrative and lifestyle medicine in the management of skin health. Emerging research around fasting diets, specifically the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD), has provided clinical evidence for chronic inflammatory, cardiometabolic, and autoimmune diseases. In this randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the effects of a five-day FMD protocol, administrated once a month for three months, on facial skin parameters, including skin hydration and skin roughness, in a group of 45 healthy women between the ages of 35 to 60 years old over the course of 71 days. The results of the study revealed that the three consecutive monthly cycles of FMD resulted in a significant percentage increase in skin hydration at day 11 (p = 0.00013) and at day 71 (p = 0.02) relative to baseline. The results also demonstrated maintenance of skin texture in the FMD group compared to an increase in skin roughness in the control group (p = 0.032). In addition to skin biophysical properties, self-reported data also demonstrated significant improvement in components of mental states such as happiness (p = 0.003) and confidence (0.039). Overall, these findings provide evidence for the potential use of FMD in improving skin health and related components of psychological well-being.

Clinical and Ultrasound Evaluation of Skin Quality After Subdermal Injection of Two Non-Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid-Based Fillers.

Introduction: Nowadays patients want to get an immediate result from skin rejuvenation techniques without sign of injections and consequent limitations in social life. Therefore, the least traumatic, more effective, and longer lasting treatment approach for skin quality improvement should be favored. Purpose: Assess skin quality outcomes by clinical examination and self-reporting in patients treated with two non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) products, injected by cannula. Investigate the skin thickness and the longevity of dermal fillers in soft tissues by ultrasound examination. Patients and Methods: Fifteen female patients (mean age 41 years) were selected for injection with two non-crosslinked HA products (one for each hemiface and hemi neck). Subdermal injections were performed bilaterally and the retrograde linear fanning technique with a 25G 50 mm cannula from three entry points was used. An ultrasound examination of the skin layers thickness was carried out before the procedure and every 6-7 days up to three weeks, when patients skin quality improvement was assessed by GAIS (Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale) and patients asked about their satisfaction level. Results: On the right hemiface, the use of the non-crosslinked HA-product with lidocaine was not associated with pain in the sites of injection. On both face sides, the signs of bruising or edema were minor and not associated with downtime or social life limitation after the procedure. After three weeks, despite both injected products could not be detected by ultrasound technique, signs of skin stimulation and skin layers hydration were still observed: The dermis became thicker on both hemifaces while the epidermis became thinner but showed more pronounced radiance and densification effect on the right hemiface. Conclusion: Subdermal injections of non-crosslinked HA "skin boosters" could be a good option for minimal traumatic and effective 3-week lasting skin quality improvement.

A study of hand back skin texture patterns for personal identification and gender classification.

Human hand back skin texture (HBST) is often consistent for a person and distinctive from person to person. In this paper, we study the HBST pattern recognition problem with applications to personal identification and gender classification. A specially designed system is developed to capture HBST images, and an HBST image database was established, which consists of 1,920 images from 80 persons (160 hands). An efficient texton learning based method is then presented to classify the HBST patterns. First, textons are learned in the space of filter bank responses from a set of training images using the l(1) -minimization based sparse representation (SR) technique. Then, under the SR framework, we represent the feature vector at each pixel over the learned dictionary to construct a representation coefficient histogram. Finally, the coefficient histogram is used as skin texture feature for classification. Experiments on personal identification and gender classification are performed by using the established HBST database. The results show that HBST can be used to assist human identification and gender classification.