Bioengineering of the Skin

Book excerpt: Skin bioengineering is an expanding field of investigative and clinical dermatology. This guide describes all commercially available techniques and instruments. It provides a thorough overview of methods for noninvasive investigation of skin function. Commercially available instruments are reviewed and compared, with updated references given for each instrument. This book offers a technical analysis of each instrument, allowing investigators to understand its biophysical principles and to make better purchases of lab instruments. Addresses of manufacturers and worldwide distributors are included, making this an essential reference source. Chapters are written by international experts. Topics include transepidermal water loss, hydration, the measurement of skin blood flow in Laser-Doppler flowetry, sebum, pH and ions, and transcutaneous pO2 and pO2 measurements. Skin color, roughness, and elasticity are examined in detail. Skin imaging techniques, capillaroscopy, and fluorescence videomicroscopy are described. Instruments for surface microscopy of the skin are also discussed. Bioengineering of the Skin explains state-of-the-art techniques and is valuable reading for anyone who needs to stay abreast of the latest activities in this ever-changing field.