DSM Maps Facial TEWL/Hydration Among Varying Ethnicities

DSM Personal Care has partnered with the University of Limpopo, Newtone Technologies and AVR Consulting to run a study on facial hydration and barrier function in different ethnicities. 

DSM's R&D center found large differences in hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) values on different parts of the face. Moreover, these differences appear to vary among different ethnic groups, opening up substantial innovation opportunities for more efficient, multi-ethnic moisturizing care.

DSM choose to map the facial skin of Chinese, Caucasian, Indian and Black African subjects. A special algorithm was developed to automatically detect skin pixels and interpolate a measured value for each of the subjects after superimposing the various bioinstrumental data on the images. As a result, full continuous facial skin hydration and TEWL color maps were produced.

The facial mapping made it possible to demonstrate and more importantly to visualize not only noticeable skin hydration and TEWL gradients within short distances on the face but also remarkable differences between the different ethnicities. Preliminary data have already been presented, and the final detailed findings will be shown at the upcoming IFSCC Conference in Paris.

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