Skin Bioengineering

Book excerpt: Non-invasive bioengineering techniques have become indispensable tools both in the development of drugs and cosmetics and in clinical dermatology. These techniques enable researchers to study the structure and function of human skin objectively and quantitatively. Recent technological developments have brought new techniques into the laboratory and the hospital, among them magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography and microdialysis. This book describes these state-of-the-art developments, details the application of skin bioengineering techniques for clinical purposes, shows their use in the testing of pharmaceutics and cosmetics and provides an overview of the design and legal aspects of skin bioengineering testing. It will be essential reading for dermatologists, cosmetologists, pharmacologists and toxicologists.