The Skin B experiment primarily investigates the skin physiology under space conditions.

Findings from a previous experiment, SkinCare, revealed characteristics similar to aging skin on the crew test subject; coarsening of skin fields, decreased skin density, slight changes in hydration and barrier function. The aim for Skin B is to confirm and extend these results.

Skin B is a system for non-invasive examinations of changes of the human skin by two measurement probes (Corneometer and Tewameter) and a special video camera (Visioscan). The Corneometer will be used to measure the hydration grade of skin. The Tewameter will be used to measure the water loss through the skin. The Visioscan camera features a high-resolution black/white video sensor and a ring-shaped UV-A light source (LED, completely harmless to the skin) for uniform illumination of the skin. With this shortwavelength light the images are very sharp and non-glossy.

Principal investigator team
Prof. Ulrike Heinrich and Prof. Nicole Gerlach
DermaTronnier GmbH & Co.KG
University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany