Melanin type and concentration determination using inverse model

Abstract

Abnormality of melanin production causes skin pigmentation disorders. Currently, assessment of treatment efficacy (under Physician's Global Assessment framework) only refers to visual conditions of skin surface and not the condition of the underlying skin layers and pigments. Albeit researches on models and simulations of light interaction with human skin have been reported, none has been specifically developed for pigmentation analysis of melanin types - eumelanin and pheomelanin. Therefore, our research objectives are to develop image analysis of skin pigmentation for classification and quantification of eumelanin and pheomelanin pigment types in human skin. In this research, the model is developed using data collected from clinical study. It is hypothesised that the multispectral approach will provide an accurate characterisation of skin layers to determine melanin types namely eumelanin and pheomelanin. Monte Carlo method is then used to determine skin model parameters such as concentration of eumelanin and pheomelanin.