In vivo multiphoton microscopy associated to 3D image processing for human skin characterization

International audience; Multiphoton microscopy has emerged in the past decade as a promising non-invasive skin imaging technique. The aim of this study was to assess whether multiphoton microscopy coupled to specific 3D image processing tools could provide new insights into the organization of different skin components and their age-related changes. For that purpose, we performed a clinical trial on 15 young and 15 aged human female volunteers on the ventral and dorsal side of the forearm using the DermaInspectR medical imaging device. We visualized the skin by taking advantage of intrinsic multiphoton signals from cells, elastic and collagen fibers. We also developed 3D image processing algorithms adapted to in vivo multiphoton images of human skin in order to extract quantitative parameters in each layer of the skin (epidermis and superficial dermis). The results show that in vivo multiphoton microscopy is able to evidence several skin alterations due to skin aging: morphological changes in the epidermis and modifications in the quantity and organization of the collagen and elastic fibers network. In conclusion, the association of multiphoton microscopy with specific image processing allows the three-dimensional organization of skin components to be visualized and quantified thus providing a powerful tool for cosmetic and dermatological investigations.