Comparison of two kinds of skin imaging analysis software: VISIA® from Canfield and IPP® from Media Cybernetics

Spectrum-based deep learning framework for dermatological pigment analysis and simulation

BACKGROUND

Deep learning in dermatology presents promising tools for automated diagnosis but faces challenges, including labor-intensive ground truth preparation and a primary focus on visually identifiable features. Spectrum-based approaches offer professional-level information like pigment distribution maps, but encounter practical limitations such as complex system requirements.

METHODS

This study introduces a spectrum-based framework for training a deep learning model to generate melanin and hemoglobin distribution maps from skin images. This approach eliminates the need for manually prepared ground truth by synthesizing output maps into skin images for regression analysis. The framework is applied to acquire spectral data, create pigment distribution maps, and simulate pigment variations.

RESULTS

Our model generated reflectance spectra and spectral images that accurately reflect pigment absorption properties, outperforming spectral upsampling methods. It produced pigment distribution maps with correlation coefficients of 0.913 for melanin and 0.941 for hemoglobin compared to the VISIA system. Additionally, the model's simulated images of pigment variations exhibited a proportional correlation with adjustments made to pigment levels. These evaluations are based on pigment absorption properties, the Individual Typology Angle (ITA), and pigment indices.

CONCLUSION

The model produces pigment distribution maps comparable to those from specialized clinical equipment and simulated images with numerically adjusted pigment variations. This approach demonstrates significant promise for developing professional-level diagnostic tools for future clinical applications.

Clinical efficacy of intradermal type I collagen injections in treating skin photoaging in patients from high-altitude areas

BACKGROUND

Photoaging, a result of chronic sun exposure, leads to skin damage and pigmentation changes. Traditional treatments may have limitations in high-altitude areas like Yunnan Province. Intradermal Col Ι injections stimulate collagen production, potentially improving skin quality. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of this treatment for photoaging.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intradermal type Ι collagen (Col Ι) injection for treating photoaging.

METHODS

This prospective, self-controlled study investigated the impact of intradermal injections of Col Ι on skin photodamage in 20 patients from the Yunnan Province. Total six treatment sessions were conducted every 4 wk ± 3 d. Before and after each treatment, facial skin characteristics were quantified using a VISIA skin detector. Skin thickness data were assessed using the ultrasound probes of the Dermalab skin detector. The Face-Q scale was used for subjective evaluation of the treatment effect by the patients.

RESULTS

The skin thickness of the right cheek consistently increased after each treatment session compared with baseline. The skin thickness of the left cheek significantly increased after the third through sixth treatment sessions compared with baseline. The skin thickness of the right zygomatic region increased after the second to sixth treatment sessions, whereas that of the left zygomatic region showed a significant increase after the fourth through sixth treatment sessions. The skin thickness of both temporal regions significantly increased after the fifth and sixth treatment sessions compared with baseline (P < 0.05). These findings were also supported by skin ultrasound images. The feature count for the red areas and wrinkle feature count decreased following the treatment (P < 0.05). VISIA assessments also revealed a decrease in the red areas after treatment. The Face-Q-Satisfaction with Facial Appearance Overall and Face-Q-Satisfaction with Skin scores significantly increased after each treatment session. The overall appearance of the patients improved after treatment.

CONCLUSION

Intradermal Col Ι injection improves photoaging, with higher patient satisfaction and fewer adverse reactions, and could be an effective treatment method for populations residing in high-altitude areas.

Evaluation of 755-nm Picosecond Alexandrite Laser With a Focus Lens Array for the Treatment of Enlarged Facial Pores

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate the use of 755-nm picosecond alexandrite laser with a focus lens array to treat facial pores.

METHODS

Laser treatment was performed on 129 patients between January 2021 and October 2022. VISIA imaging system was used for photographic assessments, the total average number and pore index was calculated, the physicians' assessment score and patient satisfaction score were collected, and the incidence of disadvantage effects was also documented.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 35.2±6.4 years (21-45 y). The total average number of facial pores was 1614.1±412.8, and the total average number decreased to 1262.6±356.2 three months after the last treatment. The pretreatment baseline of pore index was 26.1±4.5, while the pore index was 21.3±3.7 three months after the last treatment. The physicians' assessment score was 2.7 on the 0-to-4 scale, and patient satisfaction score was 3.5 on the 1-to-5 scale. There were no adverse events, such as hyperkeratosis, scarring, and hypo-or hyperpigmentation.

CONCLUSIONS

755-nm picosecond alexandrite laser with a focus lens array was safe and effective in the treatment of facial pores with relatively few unanticipated adverse events.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV-observational study without controls.

The mechanism and application of computer-assisted full facial skin imaging systems

Computer-assisted full facial imaging systems are currently among the most widely used skin analysis instruments in dermatology and medical cosmetology. These systems offer objective quantitative evaluation of facial skin conditions, and as they are non-invasive, play an important role in assessing dermatological conditions such as pigmentation, inflammation, vascular diseases, skin texture, the severity of ageing, and therapeutic follow-up. Although computer-assisted full facial imaging systems enable quantitative analysis in the scope of medical treatment and cosmetic evaluation, their results may considerably vary because of the influence of environmental and postural factors for improper operation. Furthermore, manual observation is sometimes necessary for experimental work for more accuracy, and familiarity with the imaging principles and application points is necessary to best apply this technique. This report aims to discuss and interpret these systems' imaging mechanisms and explore the primary issues with their application.

Deep learning-based pigment analysis model trained with optical approach and ground truth assistance

This study introduces an integrated training method combining the optical approach with ground truth for skin pigment analysis. Deep learning is increasingly applied to skin pigment analysis, primarily melanin and hemoglobin. While regression analysis is a widely used training method to predict ground truth-like outputs, the input image resolution is restricted by computational resources. The optical approach-based regression method can alleviate this problem, but compromises performance. We propose a strategy to overcome the limitation of image resolution while preserving performance by incorporating ground truth within the optical approach-based learning structure. The proposed model decomposes skin images into melanin, hemoglobin, and shading maps, reconstructing them by solving the forward problem with reference to the ground truth for pigments. Evaluation against the VISIA system, a professional diagnostic equipment, yields correlation coefficients of 0.978 for melanin and 0.975 for hemoglobin. Furthermore, our model can produce pigment-modified images for applications like simulating treatment effects.

Assessment of the reproducibility and accuracy of the Visia® Complexion Analysis Camera System for objective skin analysis of facial wrinkles and skin age

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the reproducibility and accuracy of the Visia® Complexion Analysis Camera System by Canfield Scientific for objective skin analysis.

Methods

Nineteen participants underwent facial capture with the Visia® camera following a standardised protocol. During the first session, the participants sat down and positioned their faces in a capture rig, closed their eyes and had their faces captured from the left, front and right sides, with threefold repetition of the captures from the front side. After 4 weeks, the participants underwent recapture in a similar manner. Based on the frontal views, data for two measurement methods of the Visia® camera system, the absolute scores and the percentiles, were obtained with regard to the skin criterion wrinkles via automated software calculation. Means and standard deviations were evaluated. Based on the side views, the data for the Truskin Ages® were calculated by the Visia® camera system and compared with the calendrical ages, which served as the gold standard for comparison.

Results

In the assessment of the reproducibility of the data of the capture system the standard deviation from the frontal captures among all participants was about 3% when the absolute scores of the wrinkles were compared with each other; specifically, the average deviation was 3.36% during the first capture session and 3.4% during the second capture session. Meanwhile, the standard deviation of the measurements was about 9% when the percentiles were compared; specifically, the average deviation was 8.2% during the first capture session and 10.7% during the second capture session. In the assessment of the accuracy the correlation between the calendrical age and the calculated Truskin Age® for both facial sides was very high at a correlation coefficient rho value of >0.8 (right side: r=0.896; left side: r=0.827) and statistically significant at a p-value of <0.001. The average calendrical age and Truskin Age® deviated only slightly from each other and did not differ significantly (right side: p=0.174; left side: p=0.190). The Truskin Age® was slightly higher than the calendrical age by a mean value of 1.37 years for both facial sides. The analysis of the absolute differences revealed that in 50% of the cases, there was a maximum difference of 3 years, and in 75% of the cases, there were maximum differences of 4.5 years for the right side and 5.5 years for the left side.

Conclusion

The assessment of the reproducibility and accuracy of the objective measurement method, the Visia® camera system, contributed to the validation of the system. The evaluation of the reproducibility revealed a satisfactory precision of the repeated captures when investigating facial wrinkles. Absolute scores should be preferred over percentiles owing to their better precision. The calculation of the accuracy of the Truskin Age® data from the Visia® camera system revealed only a slight deviation from the true calendrical ages. The correlation between both data groups was highly significant.

Generation of skin tone and pigmented region-modified images using a pigment discrimination model trained with an optical approach

BACKGROUND

Skin tone and pigmented regions, associated with melanin and hemoglobin, are critical indicators of skin condition. While most prior research focuses on pigment analysis, the capability to simulate diverse pigmentation conditions could greatly broaden the range of applications. However, current methodologies have limitations in terms of numerical control and versatility.

METHODS

We introduce a hybrid technique that integrates optical methods with deep learning to produce skin tone and pigmented region-modified images with numerical control. The pigment discrimination model produces melanin, hemoglobin, and shading maps from skin images. The outputs are reconstructed into skin images using a forward problem-solving approach, with model training aimed at minimizing the discrepancy between the reconstructed and input images. By adjusting the melanin and hemoglobin maps, we create pigment-modified images, allowing precise control over changes in melanin and hemoglobin levels. Changes in pigmentation are quantified using the individual typology angle (ITA) for skin tone and melanin and erythema indices for pigmented regions, validating the intended modifications.

RESULTS

The pigment discrimination model achieved correlation coefficients with clinical equipment of 0.915 for melanin and 0.931 for hemoglobin. The alterations in the melanin and hemoglobin maps exhibit a proportional correlation with the ITA and pigment indices in both quantitative and qualitative assessments. Additionally, regions overlaying melanin and hemoglobin are demonstrated to verify independent adjustments.

CONCLUSION

The proposed method offers an approach to generate modified images of skin tone and pigmented regions. Potential applications include visualizing alterations for clinical assessments, simulating the effects of skincare products, and generating datasets for deep learning.

Deep learning-based optical approach for skin analysis of melanin and hemoglobin distribution

SIGNIFICANCE

Melanin and hemoglobin have been measured as important diagnostic indicators of facial skin conditions for aesthetic and diagnostic purposes. Commercial clinical equipment provides reliable analysis results, but it has several drawbacks: exclusive to the acquisition system, expensive, and computationally intensive.

AIM

We propose an approach to alleviate those drawbacks using a deep learning model trained to solve the forward problem of light-tissue interactions. The model is structurally extensible for various light sources and cameras and maintains the input image resolution for medical applications.

APPROACH

A facial image is divided into multiple patches and decomposed into melanin, hemoglobin, shading, and specular maps. The outputs are reconstructed into a facial image by solving the forward problem over skin areas. As learning progresses, the difference between the reconstructed image and input image is reduced, resulting in the melanin and hemoglobin maps becoming closer to their distribution of the input image.

RESULTS

The proposed approach was evaluated on 30 subjects using the professional clinical system, VISIA VAESTRO. The correlation coefficients for melanin and hemoglobin were found to be 0.932 and 0.857, respectively. Additionally, this approach was applied to simulated images with varying amounts of melanin and hemoglobin.

CONCLUSION

The proposed approach showed high correlation with the clinical system for analyzing melanin and hemoglobin distribution, indicating its potential for accurate diagnosis. Further calibration studies using clinical equipment can enhance its diagnostic ability. The structurally extensible model makes it a promising tool for various image acquisition conditions.

Comparison of two devices for facial skin analysis

BACKGROUND

The use of quantitative measures to assess patients' skin has turned the subjective nature of dermatology into an objective one. These measures allow for more accurate diagnosis and improved monitoring of diseases. While there are many skin analysis devices available, they often require specific equipment to function and can be costly, limiting their clinical use.

AIMS

The aim of our study was to compare a new skin analysis device that is easy to incorporate into dermatologic practice to a standard validated device.

METHODS

We recruited 50 patients from dermatology clinics and analyzed their skin with two facial analysis systems: an online application that can be downloaded on either an iPad or iPhone, and a computer-based analysis system that utilizes a facial imaging photobooth. Scores were recorded and compared between the two devices for the following five skin characteristics; "spots," "wrinkles," "redness," "texture," and "pores."

RESULTS

The tablet and the computer analysis system had an agreement rate of 67.7%. The highest agreement was in assessing texture (72.0%) and pores (68.2%). The lowest agreeance was in assessing redness (64%) and wrinkles (67%). When assessing the relationship between patients' raw score for wrinkles and their age, there was a strong correlation with the tablet (r = 0.79, p < 0.0001) compared with the computer system (r = 0.26, p < 0.06).

CONCLUSIONS

The application utilized in our study may serve as a cost-effective and clinic friendly tool to assess patients' skin. It produces similar results to other skin analysis devices and may be more sensitive in detecting and quantifying wrinkles.

Novel neural network model for predicting susceptibility of facial post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

BACKGROUND

To construct a neural network model (ATBP) for predicting susceptibility to Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), which is a rapid, objective, and reliable decision-support method before physical and chemical interventions in dermatology clinics for pigment disorders.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A dataset was established based on the VISIA Skin Analysis System detection results of 1953 patients with pigment disorders including 93,477 labeled data under 8 indicators. A novel Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation susceptibility prediction model incorporating Multi-head self-attention mechanism and Back-propagation neural network is proposed to capture the patterns of skin detection data to predict PIH susceptibility.

RESULTS

The results of comparison experiments indicate that Attentive BP (Back Propagation Neural Network) has a significant superiority in prediction accuracy (0.8604) compared with other machine learning models. The ablation experiments prove that the Multi-head self-attention mechanism substantially improves the accuracy and the stability of prediction. The results of the 10-fold cross-validation experiment prove that ATBP is robust and avoids turbulence in predicting.

CONCLUSION

Leveraging Multi-head self-attention mechanism and the architecture advantage of BPNN, the proposed model ATBP obtains the robust and efficient prediction performance in predicting PIH susceptibility via processing large-scale and hi-dimension data, i.e., considering comprehensive skin conditions of individual patient. It can be proved from the experimental results that the proposed model is reliable for decision-support work of PIH susceptibility.

Artificial Intelligence in Dermatology Image Analysis: Current Developments and Future Trends

BACKGROUND

Thanks to the rapid development of computer-based systems and deep-learning-based algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI) has long been integrated into the healthcare field. AI is also particularly helpful in image recognition, surgical assistance and basic research. Due to the unique nature of dermatology, AI-aided dermatological diagnosis based on image recognition has become a modern focus and future trend. Key scientific concepts of review: The use of 3D imaging systems allows clinicians to screen and label skin pigmented lesions and distributed disorders, which can provide an objective assessment and image documentation of lesion sites. Dermatoscopes combined with intelligent software help the dermatologist to easily correlate each close-up image with the corresponding marked lesion in the 3D body map. In addition, AI in the field of prosthetics can assist in the rehabilitation of patients and help to restore limb function after amputation in patients with skin tumors.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

For the benefit of patients, dermatologists have an obligation to explore the opportunities, risks and limitations of AI applications. This study focuses on the application of emerging AI in dermatology to aid clinical diagnosis and treatment, analyzes the current state of the field and summarizes its future trends and prospects so as to help dermatologists realize the impact of new technological innovations on traditional practices so that they can embrace and use AI-based medical approaches more quickly.

Assessment of features in facial hyperpigmentation: Comparison study between VISIA and CSKIN

BACKGROUND

Hyperpigmentary disorder is one of the commonest skin concerns in dermatology clinics. The availability of noninvasive instruments provided a convenient, objective, and reproducible methodology for the evaluation of pigmentation and skin color. The aim of this study is to compare CSKIN and VISIA in measuring facial hyperpigmentation, as well as to assess the correlation between the instrumental analyzing and clinical evaluation.

METHODS

Eighty Chinese patients were enrolled. Images were taken and analyzed by VISIA from Canfield and CSKIN from Yanyun Technology, and the facial hyperpigmentation was graded by three dermatologists.

RESULTS

Feature counts within the facial pigmented areas analyzed by VISIA showed positive correlations with brown pixels (r = 0.331, p < 0.05) and brown percent (r = 0.395, p < 0.0001) measured by CSKIN. The parameters measured by CSKIN and VISIA were significantly correlated with visual scores graded by the dermatologists, with VISIA presenting a moderate correlation (r = 0.509, p < 0.001) and CSKIN a slightly stronger correlation with the visual scores (r = 0.653, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

CSKIN could serve as an alternative in the assessment and follow-up of skin disease featuring with facial hyperpigmentation.

VISIA Skin Analysis System as a Tool to Evaluate the Reduction of Pigmented Skin and Vascular Lesions Using the 532 Nm Laser

Purpose

Esthetic medicine is a rapidly developing field of medicine that is not only beneficial in terms of external appearance, but also significantly improves overall quality of life. Currently, pigmented and vascular skin lesions are more prevalent due to multiple environmental factors and are a characteristic manifestation of skin aging. The development of modern laser therapy has contributed to the successful management of multiple skin conditions. The aim of our study was to show the effect of concomitant reduction of both vascular and hyperpigmented skin lesions located on the facial area after repetitive 532 nm laser therapy and to emphasize that the detection of such observation was possible due to the implementation of System of Skin Analysis and Assessment.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 100 patients' records with "VISIA" Skin Analysis System after 532nm laser therapy.

Results

Laser therapy significantly decreased VISIA scores for all tested lesions, ie, macules, pigmented and vascular lesions (p<0.0001 for all). The efficacy of laser treatment was not significantly different regarding skin phototype (p>0.05) and did not correlate with age of participants (p>0.05). The more laser sessions were performed, the higher improvement in vascular lesion VISIA scores was observed (r=0.26, p=0.0097).

Conclusion

532 nm laser therapy is effective regarding vascular and hyperpigmented skin lesions located on the facial area. The System of Skin Analysis and Assessment is a good tool to test the treatment efficacy during regular follow-up procedure.

A novel multi-layer perceptron model for assessing the diagnostic value of non-invasive imaging instruments for rosacea

Background

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), VISIA, and dermoscopy have emerged as promising tools for objective diagnosis and assessment of rosacea. However, little is known about the diagnostic value of these imaging systems for rosacea.

Objectives

To assess the diagnostic value of RCM, VISIA, and dermoscopy for rosacea by establishing a novel multilayer perceptron (MLP) model.

Methods

A total of 520 patients with rosacea and other facial diseases were included in this study. A total of 474 samples of dermoscopy data, 374 samples of RCM data, 434 samples of VISIA data, and 291 samples containing three data sources were collected. An MLP model was built with the total data to explore the association between the imageological features of each instrument and the probability of rosacea.

Results

Our MLP model revealed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) values of RCM, VISIA and dermoscopy for diagnosing rosacea were 0.5233, 0.5646 and 0.7971, respectively. The integration of these three tools with clinical data could further improve the accuracy of the predictive diagnosis to 0.8385. For the imageological features of each tool, abnormalities (hyperkeratosis or parakeratosis) in the stratum corneum were effective variables for excluding rosacea (odds ratio [OR], 0.4333) under RCM. The indicators of rosacea under VISIA included overall severity of erythema, erythema involving the cheek or superciliary arch, visible red blood vessels, and papules (OR = 2.2745, 3.1592, 1.8365, 2.8647, and 1.4260, respectively). The candidate variables of dermoscopy included yellow background, white background, uniform distribution of vessels, branched vessels, and reticular blood vessels (OR = 0.4259, 0.4949, 2.2858, 3.7444, and 2.4576, respectively).

Conclusions

RCM, dermoscopy, and VISIA each can present several imageological features and were of certain value for assisting rosacea diagnosis. The combined analysis of these three tools using our MLP model may be useful for improving the accuracy of diagnosing rosacea.

Effectiveness of VISIA system in evaluating the severity of rosacea

BACKGROUND

Rosacea is a facial chronic inflammatory skin disease with almost 5.5% prevalence. Although there are various scales of rosacea, they are objective and discordant among different dermatologists. Noninvasive objective measurements such as VISIA system might play essential roles in the diagnosis and evaluation of rosacea. Here, we intended to reveal the effectiveness of VISIA system in rosacea.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A number of 563 participants diagnosed with facial rosacea were enrolled in study. They all received both full-face image-shoot by VISIA system with quantitative analysis software and physician's assessment via five different scales, including investigator global assessment (IGA), clinician erythema assessment (CEA), numerical score, the National Rosacea Society (NRS) grading system and telangiectasis.

RESULTS

Absolute score and percentile of red area had significant correlations with IGA and CEA, whereas red area had no significant correlation with numerical score, NRS and telangiectasis. Red area in erythematotelangiectatic rosacea patients demonstrated the highest correlation with IGA and CEA, especially in those aged between 51 and 60. Besides red area, pigmentation parameters in VISIA system (brown spot) also showed significant correlation with IGA and CEA.

CONCLUSION

VISIA system might be an effective measurement in the assessment of rosacea severity.

A Correlation of the Glogau Scale With VISIA-CR Complexion Analysis Measurements in Assessing Facial Photoaging for Clinical Research

BACKGROUND

Historically, common evaluations for photoaging have been subjective analysis; however, recently, investigators have turned to non-invasive devices for more objective evaluation of facial aging.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to establish a clinical correlation between the Glogau Photoaging Scale and VISIA-CR Complexion Analysis System. In doing so, decreasing intra- and inter-observer variability when assessing photodamage.

METHODS

One-hundred seventeen subjects between ages 18 and 89 were included. 2D facial photographs were analyzed by three independent reviewers and were assigned Glogau scores. Images were also captured and analyzed using VISIA software. Data was grouped by median Glogau score and compared between groups.

RESULTS

All groups were statistically different (p < 0.05) for Spots, Wrinkles and Remasked Wrinkles, except for Glogau 1 and 2 for Spots and Remasked Wrinkles. Wrinkles scores were plotted against age, and an exponential regression model was noted to be a better fit (R 2 = 0.5) compared to a linear model (R 2 = 0.47). The same was true for Spots with an exponential (R 2 = 0.36) compared to linear model (R 2 = 0.33). Scores were also evaluated based on sun exposure history, of which there were no significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS

The results illustrate that an imaging system can be used to reliably determine objective scores correlating to Glogau photoaging evaluations. Results also supported that aging more closely resembles an exponential process. Collectively, these findings will prove useful to those hoping to further investigate facial aging and therapeutic options available for facial skin rejuvenation and objectively assessing their outcomes.

The anti-wrinkles properties of sodium acetylated hyaluronate

BACKGROUND

Intrinsic aging promotes wrinkles formation by an imbalance between matrix synthesis/degradation in favor of degradation. This is accelerated by the exposome leading to overproduction of protease and fewer remodeling.

OBJECTIVE

Protecting the integrity of extracellular matrix appears as the most efficient anti-aging solution. We developed a grafted HA specifically designed to get anti-aging property due to a specific molecular weight and acetylation degree.

METHODS

A transcriptomic analysis was performed on fibroblasts, followed by a measurement of MMP secretion and subsequent effect on collagen degradation. MMP expression in skin explants concerned by chronobiological and extrinsic aging was analyzed by immunostaining. A clinical study was conducted on volunteers presenting wrinkles on face to evaluate flash reduction of wrinkles after 6 h of application by profilometry and anti-aging efficacy after 2 months by VISIA^® CR2.3.

RESULTS

Transcriptomic analysis evidenced an inhibition of MMP gene expression with acetylated HA, confirmed by an inhibition of MMPs release by fibroblasts, and a protection of type I collagen against degradation. We confirmed the reduction of MMPs in mature skin and in skin explants exposed to UV and urban dust. We demonstrated during clinical studies the flash reduction effect of acetylated HA on crow's feet wrinkles and a filling of nasogenian areas 6 h after application, and a wrinkles number reduction on nasogenian area up to 2 months of application.

CONCLUSION

We developed a new grafted HA owing protective properties against ECM degradation induced by chronobiological and extrinsic aging, leading to a significant and efficient anti-wrinkles effect.

The Effect of Platelet-Rich Fibrin Matrix on Skin Rejuvenation: A Split-Face Comparison

BACKGROUND

Despite the increasingly popular use of platelet-rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) for facial rejuvenation, no studies have evaluated its effects on skin.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of PRFM on skin quality as measured by the Canfield VISIA Complexion Analysis System.

METHODS

This was a 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted at a single center comparing 2 groups. Thirty patients received a PRFM injection in the mid-cheek region and nasolabial fold on one side of the face and saline on the contralateral side. The primary outcome measure was the difference between pre- and posttreatment total VISIA skin scores for each group at 6 and 12 weeks. The change in subscores for each skin parameter was also calculated.

RESULTS

There were 30 participants, with a mean [standard deviation] age of 49.9 [13.9] years. At 6 weeks, the median change in total VISIA score (interquartile range) was -1.77 (2.36) in the PRFM group and -0.73 (2.09) in the saline group (P = 0.003). The only skin parameter that had a significantly different change in score between the groups was texture (P = 0.004). At 12 weeks, the change in median score was -1.31 (3.26) in the PRFM cohort and -0.76 (2.21) in the saline cohort (P = 0.34). There was no statistical significance in the change in score for any of the individual skin parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

PRFM can objectively improve skin quality compared with placebo. Texture was the only skin parameter that significantly improved, which is consistent with PRFM's role as a filler agent. The results appear to persist for at least 6 weeks.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1

Technique for analyzing the transfer of colored cosmetics onto face masks

BACKGROUND

With the rapid spread of COVID-19, the makeup trend in the cosmetics market is changing as mask-wearing has become a common practice. This study was conducted to establish an objective and reliable method for analyzing the transfer of colored cosmetics onto face masks.

METHODS

A total of 24 women participated in this test. The participants were requested to wear Korean Filter 94 masks after having applied colored cosmetics on their faces and lips. VISIA-CR was used to photograph the face, and a camera was used to photograph the mask, which had smeared the cosmetics. Each image was analyzed using the Image-pro^® 10 image analysis software.

RESULTS

Immediately after applying the cosmetics, the intensity of the face decreased and the redness of the lips increased when compared with the results 30 minutes after washing the face. After wearing a mask, the intensity increased and the redness decreased when compared with immediately after applying the cosmetics. The area before and after the colored cosmetics smeared onto the mask was increased.

CONCLUSION

It is expected that this study could be used as a reference for further experiments on analysis of methods for preventing mask stains.

Helium plasma dermal resurfacing: VISIA CR assessment of facial spots, pores, and wrinkles-Preliminary findings

Objectives

Effects of low energy, single‐pass helium plasma dermal resurfacing (PDR) treatment on brown spots, enlarged pores, and wrinkles—preliminary findings.

Methods

Twenty two subjects (64.6 ± 6.6 years) with Fitzpatrick Wrinkle and Elastosis Scale score (FWS) of ≤2 and seeking improvement of facial appearance were included in this subanalysis. All subjects received a single, one‐pass, full face, and low power helium PDR treatment. Standard digital images were collected using the VISIA‐CR (Canfield Scientific Inc.) at baseline and 3 months after treatment with images assessed for improvement in FWS and for improvements in brown spots, enlarged pores, and wrinkles by proprietary automated image processing algorithms.

Results

Nearly all subjects demonstrated ≥1‐point improvement in FWS and also reported improvement per modified Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale query. The numbers of brown spots and enlarged pores decreased by 45.1% and 28.3%, respectively. Stratification of brown spots data by presence or absence of post‐inflammatory hyperpigmentation revealed paradoxically conflicting data. The improvement detected in wrinkle area and mean wrinkle thickness was less pronounced with overall reductions of 13.4% and 4.8%, respectively. 37 Non‐serious adverse events (AEs) in 22 subjects were reported with most resolving within 14 days or less, and no serious AEs were observed.

Conclusions

While longer‐term follow‐up is needed, these early study results show that one single‐pass, low energy helium PDR treatment improves facial skin appearance both qualitatively and quantitatively. Studies evaluating higher energy levels and multiple treatment passes are ongoing.

Retrospective Study of Factors Affecting Efficacy of Therapy with Dye Pulsed Light for Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea

INTRODUCTION

Dye pulsed light (DPL) was proven to be effective at treating erythematous and telangiectatic skin disorders. However, there are limited data on the efficacy of DPL treatment for erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR), and researchers do not fully understand the factors that may affect the efficacy. Here, we performed a study to investigate the efficacy of DPL treatment for ETR and determine the factors affecting that efficacy.

METHODS

Sixty-five patients with ETR underwent three treatment sessions with DPL at 4-week intervals and were followed up at 4 weeks after the last treatment session. Skin type, sex, age, lesion site, severity of erythema and telangiectasia, VISIA percentile ranking, clinical photographs and red area images were recorded at baseline. The post-treatment erythematous and telangiectatic scores and VISIA percentile rankings were recorded, and the effects of different personal and clinical factors on the efficacy were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

The erythema and telangiectasia scores and VISIA percentile rankings showed significant improvement after the DPL procedures (p < 0.01). With regard to erythema, treatment efficacy was not affected by any of the investigated variables, including pre-treatment erythema scores, skin type, pre-treatment VISIA percentile ranking, sex, age and lesion site (p > 0.05). With regard to telangiectasia, the treatment efficacy was greater for mild telangiectasia than for severe telangiectasia (odds ratio = 4.14, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in treatment efficacy between the moderate and severe categories (odds ratio = 4.00, p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

DPL is not the optimal procedure for treating severe telangiectasia in patients with ETR, whereas the efficacy of the treatment for erythema was not affected by the severity of the condition.

Analysis of facial redness by comparing VISIA® from Canfield and CSKIN® from Yanyun Technology

BACKGROUND

Redness is the most common symptom among many facial dermatoses. With the rapid development of optical instruments, spectral imaging, and image processing technology, there appear varieties of skin color analysis methods and instruments. The aim of this study is to reveal the differences and correlations in measuring the facial redness between CSKIN^® and VISIA^® , as well as the relevance between the instrument parameters and clinical evaluation.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Forty-three Chinese patients were enrolled. Images were taken and analyzed by VISIA^® from Canfield and CSKIN^® from Yanyun Technology, and the facial erythema was graded by the dermatologists.

RESULTS

Feature counts within the red areas measured by VISIA^® were found to have significantly positive correlations with red pixels and percent which were measured by CSKIN^® on both sides of the face (r = .45 ~ .566, P < .01). The parameters analyzed by CSKIN^® and VISIA^® feature counts were correlated with visual scores graded by the dermatologists, VISIA^® presented with a weak correlation (r = .213, P < .05), while CSKIN^® had a moderate correlation with the visual scores (r = .472 ~ .492, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

CSKIN^® may be another alternative option when encountering with measurement and follow-up of facial erythema.

An image-based mapping of significance and relevance of facial skin colour changes of females living in Thailand

Objective

There are methods to evaluate skin colour on defined areas over the face but no approach automatically and accurately evaluates skin colour variations on large facial areas, comparing subjects, treatments and/or time points. We propose such an image‐based approach to visualize quickly the outcome of clinical studies on colour variations.

Methods

Among 54 Asian women, one group applied a vehicle twice daily, during 28 days, and the other group an anti‐ageing emulsion, taking facial images at baseline and after treatment. Changes in L*a*b* values were studied on four pre‐selected facial regions. We also reconstructed average facial images from which the L*a*b* parameters were extracted for every pixel, computing relevance (ΔE) and significance data. Using colour gradients, we mapped these results onto the average facial images.

Results

After treatment, L*a*b* parameters show no statistically relevant colour changes in the vehicle group. In the ‘active’ group, skin was lighter at the upper cheek and, overall, redness decreased. Relevance and significance maps confirmed no visible colour changes in the vehicle group. In the ‘active’ group, the mapping approach revealed colour changes and their location. Skin became lighter below the eye, cheek and forehead. It was less red below the eyes, on the cheek, jawline and forehead, and generally more yellow.

Conclusion

Our image‐based mapping approach proves to be powerful. It enables us to identify precise facial regions of relevant and statistically significant colour changes after a topical treatment, regions that would have otherwise been undetected.