Skin color measurement in Chinese female population: analysis of 407 cases from 4 major cities of China.
BACKGROUND
Color assessment of human skin is an important index both in dermatology and in cosmetology.


METHODS
Skin color measured in 407 Chinese women selected from four different cities in China is reported in the 1976 Commission International de L'eclairage (CIE)-color space, according to the skin color typing method proposed by Chardon et al. in 1991. The skin color of buttocks and hands, which represent sun unexposed and exposed sites, respectively, were measured with a Minolta 2500d chromameter. Individual typology angle (ITA degrees) of each volunteer was calculated based on the measured L* and b* values and her skin complexion was graded accordingly.


RESULTS
The results show that most of the volunteers had a "light" skin color at their unexposed sites, namely grade II (65.5%), and then grade III (intermediate, 23.1%), and I (very light, 9.6%). The skin colors at exposed sites of the studied group were mainly grade III (intermediate, 45.7%), followed by grade IV (tan, 42.0%) and II (light, 7.9%). The difference among the investigated cities, the relationship between skin color and ages, and the complexion changes from unexposed site to exposed site were analyzed based on the data from the research.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors believed that the present results might basically represent the complexion conditions of Chinese women.
Wei
Liu
L
Department of Dermatology, The General Hospital of Air Force, Beijing, and Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China. lwei5811@yahoo.com.cn
Xuemin
Wang
W
Wei
Lai
L
Li
Li
L
Ping
Zhang
Z
Yanyu
Wu
W
Ying
Lu
L
Yan
Li
L
Yan
Tian
T
Yan
Wu
W
Li
Chen
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002681:China; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014505:Urban Population