Bioengineering And The Skin

R. MARKS Biology has become a 'numbers game'. The advantages of being able to grade changes in tissue, submit results to statistical analysis and accurately record biological phenomena make measurement essential. This is as true for the various disciplines in applied biology as it is for the more esoteric aspects ofthe subject. Regrettably, sk in biologists until recently had not seized the opportunities that the availability of their tissue of interest afforded and fell behind in the exploration of measurement techniques. Probably this resulted in part from the mistaken sentiment that 'to see is to know'. It also originated from the complexity ofthe skin which. as a closely interwoven mixture oftissue types. makes assessments technically difficult. However, we are optimistic about the future. The International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin was formed in Cardiff in ] uly 1979 in response to the wishes of the delegates who had attended the first International Symposium on the subject in Miami in 1976 and the second in Cardiff 3 years later. This volume is the proceedings of the Cardiff meeting. We believe that it demonstrates the brave efforts and variety of new ideas that characterise the studies of scientists who realise the importance of blending the phYSICal sciences with skin biology.

Since skin forms the interface between the human body and the environment, its mechanical properties are important in health and disease. Bioengineering of the Skin: Skin Biomechanics gives a thorough introduction in the biological basis of skin biomechanics. It explains the non-invasive methods that allow measurement of the mechanical properties of the skin focusing on commercially available instruments. Written by internationally leading experts in the field of non-invasive measurement technology of the skin, this volume describes the anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, and pathology of skin biomechanics. It explains in detail how to measure skin mechanic properties and how to use these measurements in the development of drugs and cosmetics.

Spanning the many advancements that have taken place in the field since the First Edition of this book was published, this Second Edition emphasizes the imaging of the skin in its entirety, rather than focusing solely on surface layers. The Second Edition includes new chapters on technologies such as in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography, nuclear magnetic imaging, high-resolution ultrasound, in vivo skin topometry, and multi-photon imaging of the skin.

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.

Spanning the many advancements that have taken place in the field since the First Edition of this book was published, this Second Edition emphasizes the imaging of the skin in its entirety, rather than focusing solely on surface layers. The Second Edition includes new chapters on technologies such as in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy, Rama

Bioengineering of the skin, or more precisely the biophysical assessment of skin physiology, is moving rapidly from a descriptive approach to a deeper understanding of biophysical and biochemical processes. This second edition of the popular text Bioengineering of the Skin: Water and Stratum Corneum reflects the progress in the field, focusing on t

Through continuous research and development of modern instrumentation, it is now possible to visualize minute structures of the skin surface not visible to the human eye. Bioengineering of the Skin: Skin Surface Imaging and Analysis, written by an internationally based group of scientists, addresses engineering techniques for visualizing and analyzing skin surface images and profiles. This skin bioengineering reference offers comprehensive information about the technology of instruments in this field and the art of applying them in experimental studies. It explains what the instruments measure and why and when they should be used in skin research and product testing.