French company ups 3-D skin testing capabilities
the capacity of its 3-D optical measuring service, which provides
head-to-toe analysis for pre-clinical and clinical trialing for
thecosmetics industry. Simon Pitman reports.
The company says that by upping the capabalities of its Primso Body analyses, it has created a competitive advantage and still remains the sole company in France to provide access to this system.
Laboratoire Dermscan acquired the Primos Compact system in 2001. It uses theprojection of bands of light to conduct an in vivo evaluation of the evolution of crow's-feet wrinkles.
The company, which is based in Lyon and currently dedicates approximately 10 per cent of its €7.3 million annual revenue to research and development, says that rising demand for the analysis service has led it to invest in increasing the equipment capacity.
In the past few years, optical measuring systems in 3-D have flourished because they are said to facilitate more comprehensive analyses. Skin microstructure, wrinkles, as well as cellulite on the thighs, the ovalof the face and the bust can be analysed using texture or volume parameters.
The 3-D measuring capabilities mean that the effect of cosmetic or dermopharmaceutical products can be measured according to the volume and shape of the entirebody. This means that conditions such as double chin and jodhpur thighs can thus be evaluated in a completely objective manner.
The updated Primos Body system derives an image from the calculation of projected interference fringes. Specifically designed to avoid the problems associated with shadows, while measuring large areas ofthe body, it uses two light beams instead of just one. These are projected upon thesurface and the images are recorded by two different cameras, each at a 20° angle.
The very short acquisition time ensures what is claimed to be artefact-free analysis of the skin's surface. Calibration andfine tuning systems, aligned with the measuring system, also guarantee the precision of the operation.
The new system's software allows for surface profile and colour-coded texture analysis as well as determination of sizes, geometric shapes and position shapes, together with an ability to execute analyses that can compare specific areas before and after treatment.
Laboratoire Dermscan says that ultimately the system can be used as a powerful marketing tool enabling companies to easily highlight and pinpoint desired results.
