Product Design Based on Evidence From CT-Skin

The skin is a multi-layered structure comprising a complex interplay of collagen, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels. Kao has developed a technique called CT-Skin^® that visualizes the actual condition of the inner layers of the skin by applying a proprietary algorithm and 3D technology to skin data measured with JM-OCT (Jones matrix optical coherence tomography). As such, can analyze the interior structure of the skin without damaging it.

In the past, the only way to make the interior structure of the skin visible was to cut it open, and observing changes over time was impossible. But with the arrival of our CT-Skin^® technology, we can now evaluate the skin’s condition by visualizing its interior three-dimensionally in the digital space. For example, double refraction of the dermis helps to reveal the condition of collagen fibers, which is helpful for real-world based aging research.
This technology also makes it possible to follow changes occurring in the skin when skin care technologies are applied. For example, dynamic changes in capillary blood flow can be visualized: after carbonate treatment, the blood flow in the capillaries directly underneath the epidermis layer, which bring nutrients to the epidermis, gradually increases.

At Kao, we actively incorporate innovative technologies like this into our development processes to promote evidence-based product creation.