Improvement in Fine Wrinkles by Topographic Roughness

Skin roughness at the center of dorsal hand was evaluated with a dermoscope using a standard, noncontact method, with the dermoscope in a closed lighting condition (only the light of the dermoscope without external light). Photographs (0× and 50× magnification) were taken and used to quantify the skin surface roughness with a topographic computer program (Gwyddion statistical analysis)^11,12 at baseline and after the treatment. Using this open-source computer program, skin roughness at the center of the hands was compared. Average roughness (Ra) can be expressed by digitalization of countless columns:

As a sample, the mean value and the standard deviation of the selected quantity are calculated from the set of individual column values. [See Figure, Supplemental Digital Content 2, which shows the changes in roughness evaluated by TCA. (Above) Dermoscope photographs at 50× magnification. (Below) Ra in TCA. (Left) Before treatment. (Right) Three months after treatment, http://links.lww.com/PRS/G272.]