Evaluation of skin barrier strengthening
Evaluation of skin barrier strengthening
The skin barrier functions as a protective wall. It prevents harmful substances from penetrating the skin and also limits water loss. It allows keeping skin hydrated. When the skin barrier is compromised, it can lead to problems such as dryness, irritation, infections, and other skin disorders.
There are many factors that can compromise the skin barrier. It includes exposure to environmental elements, aging, harsh chemicals, and skin diseases.
Many products are specially formulated to maintain and strengthen the skin barrier.
The C-Cube 3 and its Clinical Research software are a tool perfectly suited to observing the effects of your dermocosmetic ranges. It accompanies you for your clinical studies and allows you to prove cosmetic claims related to strengthening the skin barrier.
Skin barrier strengthening and hydration
Dryness measure in-vivo
Having well-hydrated skin is crucial to keeping it protected. The lipids in the skin act as a shield by retaining water. Thus, the more hydrated the skin, the stronger this barrier is. Moisturizing products, such as those with hyaluronic acid or glycerin, help maintain this moisture. It makes the skin more resistant to external aggressors, for healthy, glowing skin.
The C-Cube 3 allows you to measure the effectiveness of the moisturizing active ingredients in your products. This can be done by analyzing the dryness of the skin.
Dry skin is manifested by visible peeling. The scales are usually whitish and become visible when they are noticeably lighter than the skin. That’s why we use the L* component to locate pixels that are significantly whiter than their surroundings. We produce a binary image in which the white pixels are lighter than the others. It indicates the scales detected. The area covered by the scales, relative to the area of the field of view, is calculated and provided as the resulting value of this score.
Dryness measure ex-vivo
The C-Cube 3 also allows ex-vivo measurement to quantify skin dryness. This is done with the help of patches to remove the flakes from the skin.
D-Squames patches are used to remove flakes from the surface of the skin in a standardized way. The colour of the sampling area is dark and uniform, which makes it possible to clearly distinguish the scales collected. Samples taken with these patches are analyzed with the Pixience sample reader and the C-Cube camera in a standardized and systematic manner.
Analysis of intensity levels in the sampling area allows the determination of a threshold between “bottom” (the dark sampling area) and “shape” (the scales).
This makes it easy to distinguish them and measure the relative surface area of the scales in relation to the total surface area of the patch.
Skin barrier strengthening and inflammation
Skin inflammation and redness are often linked to an alteration of the skin barrier. When the skin barrier is compromised, external irritants such as allergens, harsh chemicals, or microbes can penetrate the skin more easily, triggering an inflammatory response. This inflammation can manifest as redness, itching, and a feeling of discomfort. Additionally, a weakened skin barrier struggles to retain moisture, which can lead to additional dryness and irritation, exacerbating redness and inflammation. Therefore, maintaining a healthy and intact skin barrier is essential for reducing inflammation and redness. It ensures a calm, comfortable, and balanced skin.
The C-Cube allows you to observe the presence of erythema. The software allows you to obtain an image of the area studied, mapped by colors (red for areas affected by erythema, blue for areas not affected). You can compare this image with an erythema index in order to characterize and locate it precisely.
The C-Cube 3 and its software, the ultimate tandem of performance and versatility!
Maintaining a strong and healthy skin barrier is essential for beautiful and protected skin. With Pixience’s C-Cube 3 clinical imaging tool, cosmetic brands can quantify and scientifically validate the effects of their products on the skin barrier, boosting consumer confidence in their claims. By combining science and technology, it is still possible to innovate in the field of skincare and offer products that meet the needs of each individual.
