Angular scattering properties of human epidermal layers

There is a defmite need to determine accurately optical parameters of tissues. It is required either when planning a laser treatment or trying to make diagnostic conclusions, based on differences in optical properties of healthy and pathological tissues. Scattering phase function is an important characteristic of medium optical properties1.Knowledge of scattering phase function of epidermal layers is necessary for direct calculations of light propagation through skin2. Changes in angular properties of scattered light may reflect pathology of tissue and can be used in investigation of skin diseases, like psoriasis3. Besides the self4mportance measurements of scattering phase function can be used in combination with integrating sphere measurements to determine absorption and scattering coefficients of tissue4. This combination can also be useful for testing of photoprotectors. Direct gomometric measurements of the angular distribution of radiation, scattered by human samples have been reported by several authors5'6. However, known literature data on angular scattering properties of human epidermis are still liniited7'8. In present paper we concentrate on outermost epidermal layers and report measurements, performed on samples, obtained by the novel technique3. We investigated also influence of various chemical's applications to skin surface on scattering phase function of epidermal layers.