Description:

Staying young in appearance is increasingly important for many people. The cosmetics industry has recognised this consumer need as a particularly attractive market and as the global population ages, there has been an explosion in the demand for anti-aging creams which can improve personal appearance. As skin ages it loses its elasticity which results in sagging, wrinkles and creases. In fact, as skin begins to age, its texture direction ceases to be purely random and takes on a more fixed orientation. It is this anisotropic behaviour, measured by a non-contact Interferometry technique, that is one of the key features used to assess the effectiveness of anti-aging creams.

Information captured using a Taylor Hobson CCI optical profiler shows the analysis of a skin furrow for depth and volume after application of an anti-aging cream and subsequent replication. It is easy and safe to obtain silicone imprints of skin before and after treatment to determine the real effects of cosmetics. A wide range of application-specific parameters can be calculated such as mean depth of a wrinkle, wrinkle volume, and developed surface. It is possible to analyse the effect of creams on individual wrinkles, overall texture direction, and substrate complexity.  The before and after results are compared to provide a method of quantifying product effectiveness.

In addition to anti-aging creams, this process is also vital in testing skin healing products, anti-cellulite treatments and lip care products.

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Industry Sectors:

Techniques:
Optical Profilometry

Keywords:
surface analysis, healthcare