Assessment of skin surface by scanning densitometry of macrophotographs

There are no established techniques for the measurement of scaliness and skin smoothness. In this paper a new photographic technique for assessment of the skin surface is described. Photographic negatives of the skin surface taken under standardized conditions arc scanned on a densitometer and the scan tracing length used as a measure of roughness. The technique has been used to assess (a) the roughening effect of adhesive tape stripping, (b) the smoothing effect of emollient preparations, and (c) the alterations in roughness of scaling dermatoses during treatment. It has been found to be reproducible and to correlate well with assessment of skin surface contour.