Stratum corneum (SC) biomarkers such as its thickness and hydration level offer valuable information about the state of the skin barrier. A Fourier domain visible light optical coherence tomography (VIS-OCT) system with an axial resolution of ~1 μm in tissue, was used to assess the morphology of the human SC layer under different hydration conditions. 12 human subjects (7 males, 5 females) in an age group of 21-59 were recruited. B-scan images of subjects’ dorsal hands were recorded by the VIS-OCT system and processed in MATLAB and GraphPad. An average SC thickness in the dorsal area before hydration, after hydration in water for 40 minutes and after drying in air for 40 minutes were found to be: 9 μm ± 0.1 μm, 19 μm ± 0.2 μm and 8 μm ± 0.1 μm, correspondingly. SC reflectance, obtained by VIS-OCT, changes at different hydration levels, increasing in a range of |4-12|dB during the hydration phase and decreasing in a range of |4-13|dB during the dehydration phase. That SC reflectance data correlates moderately to strongly, depending on an individual, with SC hydration levels measured by a Corneometer.
Crisaborole 2% ointment is a non-steroidal treatment for mild-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) and may have a better safety profile than topical corticosteroids (TCS), which produce pronounced epidermal atrophy. In this study we compared crisaborole to betamethasone valerate (BMV) in terms of changes to dermal collagen, using PS-OCT to quantify dermal birefringence. 37 subjects were enrolled in this study, which involved daily application of BMV & crisaborole. Results showed BMV produced a significant increase in dermal birefringence, whereas crisaborole showed no significant change. PS-OCT may thus have an important role in the safety assessment of non-steroidal alternatives to TCS.
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease, which has one of the highest prevalence rates in the world. It is widely believed to be driven by deficiencies in the skin barrier layer, which is provided by the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum thickness determines the absorption rate of topical treatments and may correlate with its barrier function of preventing allergen penetration. Here we demonstrate a free-space, portable Fourier domain visible-light optical coherence tomography (OCT) system to study the stratum corneum thickness (5-15 μm typically) in non-palmar human skin. We use a supercontinuum laser source, optimized for emission in the 500-700 nm range and achieve axial resolution of ~ 1 μm in tissue (for the refractive index n = 1.55 of the stratum corneum). Our system has ~ -85 dB sensitivity at an A-scan rate of 125 kHz and about 1 mW of optical power onto the skin. High-quality B-scans from various human skin sites are obtained, with a clearly resolved stratum corneum layer presenting as a hypoechogenic dark layer, similar to that found in palmar skin with traditional OCT systems.
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