Skin colour, skin redness and melanin biometric measurements: comparison study between Antera® 3D, Mexameter® and Colorimeter®

BackgroundThe actual skin colorimeters analyse reflect values from a limited number of broad spectral bands and consequently present limited reproducibility and specificity when measuring skin colour. Here, Antera 3D((R)), a new device which uses reflectance mapping of seven different light wavelengths spanning the entire visible spectrum, has been compared with Mexameter((R)) MX-18, an established narrow-band reflectance spectrophotometer and with Colorimeter((R)) CL-400, an established tristimulus colorimetric instrument. MethodsThirty volunteers were exposed to a controlled ultra-violet B light. Measurements with Antera 3D((R)), Mexameter((R)) MX-18 and Colorimeter((R)) CL-400 were done before treatment and after 2, 7 and 14days. ResultsAntera 3D((R)) showed to have a better sensitivity and specificity than Mexameter((R)) MX-18 regarding the melanin parameter. A similar sensitivity between Antera 3D((R)) and Mexameter((R)) MX-18 was found for erythema determination and also for the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage L*, a* and b* parameters between Antera 3D((R)) and Colorimeter((R)) CL-400. Good correlations were observed for all the parameters analysed. Repeatability of Mexameter((R)) MX-18 and Colorimeter((R)) CL-400 values were lower than that of Antera 3D((R)) for all the parameters analysed. ConclusionAntera 3D((R)), such as Mexameter((R)) MX-18 and Colorimeter((R)) CL-400, are robust, sensitive and precise equipment for the skin colour analysis.