A pilot study of in vivo evaluation of human skin sunburn with handheld Spatially Offset Raman Spectrometer

Abstract

Sunburn is a common and high-risk precancerous skin lesion caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation. Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy, a specialized in-depth profiling technique, has the potential to serve as a noninvasive, in vivo metrology tool for rapid assessment of sunburn and recovery. In this study, we employ the recently developed handheld spatially offset Raman spectrometer, which demonstrates the ability to perform in vivo in-depth skin profile in areas where sunburn develops and recovers. After evaluating the similarity of different in vivo individual skin sites, we collected time-dependent spectra to investigate the evolution of sunburn under different conditions. Our findings revealed that both the skin surface and subsurface undergo diverse compositional changes during sunburn, which can be readily detected using Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy. This method also proved valuable in evaluating the efficacy of different sunscreens and sunburn resistance across various skin regions.