In Vivo Measurement of Optical Properties of Human Skin for 450–800 nm and 950–1600 nm Wavelengths

Abstract

Laser or light-emitting diode therapy has been developed for medical care and skin rejuvenation. Some of these therapies are not only ineffective, but also unsafe. To address these issues, the optical properties of human skin that characterize radiation transfer to the skin have to be clearly understood. In this study, we use in-house instruments to measure the in vivo absorption and scattering coefficients for 198 Japanese participants in visible (450–800 nm) and near-infrared (950–1600 nm) region. The average values and standard deviations of the optical properties are recorded. The effects of age, gender, and body parts on these parameters are analyzed. For the scattering coefficient, the highest value is observed for the inner forearm and the lowest for the region between the thumb and forefinger; females exhibit higher values than males in the visible and some of near-infrared wavelengths; and the value decreases with the age for males in the visible region. In terms of the absorption coefficient, males exhibit higher values than females in the visible region and some of near-infrared wavelength; and the values increase with age in the visible region; the magnitude relations between the body parts differ with the wavelength.