Despite the invention of various non-invasive bioengineering tools in dermatology, skin type classification has been dependent on subjective evaluations. To design a novel skin type classification system based on biophysical parameters, and analyze th...
Despite the invention of various non-invasive bioengineering tools in dermatology, skin type classification has been dependent on subjective evaluations. To design a novel skin type classification system based on biophysical parameters, and analyze the measurements made in the South Korean population. Measurements from 434 healthy Korean volunteers, aged 20 to 59 years, were extracted from the database of 2018 International Skin Characteristics Data Bank project. Parameters were analyzed by pH-meter<sup>®</sup> PH900, tewameter<sup>®</sup> TM300, corneometer<sup>®</sup> CM825, sebumeter<sup>®</sup> SM810, cutometer<sup>®</sup> MPA580, spectrophotometer<sup>®</sup> CM-2500d, PRIMOS<sup>®</sup> lite, and Janus<sup>®</sup>. We developed a new skin type classification system and applied measurements made from Korean subjects to determine the cut-off values. The classification is composed of five main categories (problematic, hydration, oiliness, elasticity, skin tone) and subcategories (erythema, roughness, enlarged pore, wrinkle, pigmentation). We present reference values using summary statistics (mean, standard, deviation, and percentile) for the eleven biophysical parameters based on gender and age groups (20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s). The proposed skin type classification enables non-invasive objective assessment of the skin. Additionally, the system will provide guidance in selecting problematic skin and assist education for skin care management.