Analysis of yellowish skin color from an optical image and the development of 3D Skin Chroma Diagram(™).
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to define yellowish skin color, which is a major concern of Asian women, and to develop a 3D skin-pigment color model.


METHODS
A total of 22 Korean females were enrolled in this study. These women were asked to use a functional cosmetic product with whitening agents for 8 weeks. We photographed the subsurface reflection of each subject's face using polarized light. The color of the subsurface reflection is a result of diffusive light transports that are attenuated by various skin pigments such as melanin, hemoglobin, and skin base colors. In this subsurface photo image, we eliminated the color effects of melanin and hemoglobin distribution by skin color analysis resulting in skin base color. Based on a variety of observed skin base colors from which the melanin and hemoglobin pigments have been removed, we defined a standard skin color for the entire subject group, and then, we gained a particular yellowish skin color by excluding the standard skin color from the skin base color again.


RESULTS
After applying whitening cosmetic products, the amount of melanin and hemoglobin was reduced by 7.3% and 18.6%, respectively. Also, through using our new analysis method, yellowish skin color has been improved by 2.8%. We showed the improvement on 3D Skin Chroma Diagram(™) three-dimensionally.


CONCLUSIONS
It became possible to diagnose yellowish color on human skin and to analyze the improvement in skin tone both quantitatively and visually.
Applied Skin Research Institute, AMOREPACIFIC Corporation, R&D Center, Yongin-si, Korea.
J Y
JY
Han
Applied Skin Research Institute, AMOREPACIFIC Corporation, R&D Center, Yongin-si, Korea.|Department of Dermatology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
E J
EJ
Kim
Applied Skin Research Institute, AMOREPACIFIC Corporation, R&D Center, Yongin-si, Korea.
H K
HK
Lee
Division of Digital Media, Ewha Woman's University, Ewha-SK Telecom Center 102, Seoul, Korea.
M J
MJ
Kim
Department of Cosmetic Science & Technology, Seowon University, Cheongju, Korea.
G W
GW
Nam
D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D003116:Color; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*
D010860:Pigments, Biological
3D Skin Chroma Diagram™; color extraction; optical image; yellowish skin color