Research Techniques Made Simple: Cutaneous Colorimetry: A Reliable Technique for Objective Skin Color Measurement
Open accessAbstract
Skin color evaluation contributes to assessment of an individual's cutaneous phenotype. Skin color changes provide important clues to disease progression or treatment response. Skin color is also a predictor of skin cancer risk. Melanin pigment, blood flow, skin thickness, and photoaging contribute to skin color. Melanin, hemoglobin, bilirubin, and carotene are the primary chromophores of skin color. Their concentrations vary depending on the individual's phenotype, anatomic location, external insults of chemical irritants and UVR, and physiological changes. The evaluation and perception of skin color are often subjective. Objective quantification of skin color can be achieved with colorimetric devices such as tristimulus colorimeters. These devices compute the intensity of light reflected from skin and correlate with pigmentation and erythema. Cutaneous color and color changes can be quantified under color organization systems, such as the CIELAB color space, which is standardized by the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE). The CIELAB expresses color's lightness, red/green intensity, and yellow/blue intensity, as L*, a*, and b* values, respectively. Additionally, skin color's full spectral characteristics and cutaneous physiology can be measured with spectrophotometers. This article outlines basic principles of the CIELAB color system and how to optimally use colorimetric devices as a skin research tool.
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Some colorimeters are able to assess skin color's full spectral characteristics and cutaneous physiology.
“Some colorimeters are able to not only assess skin color’s full spectral characteristics but also cutaneous (skin/fat layers) physiology (see Ly and colleagues19 guide to research techniques for colorimeters)19.”
From Response To: Investigating sources of inaccuracy in wearable optical heart rate sensors (2021) · cites this paper as [19]
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- Authors
- Ly, B. C. K., Dyer, E. B., Feig, J. L., Chien, A. L., & Del Bino, S.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-01
- Volume
- 140
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 3-12.e1
- ISSN
- 0022-202X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2994854404
- Cited by
- 453
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 60 · 2025: 98 · 2024: 116 · 2023: 87 · 2022: 63 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 5
- FWCI
- 2.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Color Science and Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management
- Keywords
- skin color measurement, CIELAB color space, tristimulus colorimeter, spectrophotometry, melanin, erythema, skin pigmentation, skin cancer risk, chromophores, skin color change
- MeSH terms
- Colorimetry, Erythema, Humans, Melanins, Skin, Skin Neoplasms, Skin Physiological Phenomena, Skin Pigmentation, Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet Rays
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