Skin evaluation method, skin evaluation device, and program

Abstract

The present invention more accurately evaluates the state of pores, and thus more accurately evaluates the skin. Provided is a skin evaluation method wherein information pertaining to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject is acquired, and the skin of the subject is evaluated on the basis of the information pertaining to the pore structure.

Description

Muscle evaluation method, muscle evaluation device, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to a muscle evaluation method, a muscle evaluation device, and a program.

[0002] Conventionally, in the beauty field, it is known to evaluate muscles using equipment in order to enhance the objectivity of evaluation. Many such muscle evaluations are performed based on images obtained by photographing the surface of the muscle. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that an enlarged image of the muscle is photographed by an imaging device and processed to digitize the papule area, the skin groove depth, etc., thereby performing muscle evaluation.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-34424

[0004] By the way, in recent years, the state of pores has been regarded as an important factor affecting muscle evaluation. Therefore, it is also required to appropriately evaluate the state of pores. However, with the method based on the image of the muscle surface as performed in Patent Document 1, the state of pores may not be accurately evaluated. For example, when another feature of the muscle state other than pores, such as wrinkles, is strong, the influence of such another feature is reflected in the image, and it becomes difficult to grasp the state of the pores themselves even by performing image processing or the like. Also, depending on the type of pores, a plurality of adjacent pores may be photographed as continuous grooves, and individual pores may not be identified in the image.

[0005] In view of the above, an aspect of the present invention aims to provide a technique capable of more accurately evaluating the state of pores and thus more accurately evaluating muscles.

[0006] [[ID=​​​​​This is a diagram showing the overall configuration according to one embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the skin internal observation device. This is a functional block diagram of the skin evaluation device according to one embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pore, illustrating the acquisition of information related to the pore structure for evaluating open pores. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pore, illustrating the acquisition of information related to the pore structure for evaluating sagging pores. This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the skin evaluation device according to one embodiment. This is a flowchart of the skin evaluation method according to one embodiment. This is a flowchart of the skin evaluation process. This is a diagram showing the results of Example 1 for evaluating open pores. This is a diagram showing the results of Example 2 for evaluating open pores. This is a diagram showing the results of Example 3 for evaluating sagging pores. This is a diagram showing the results of Example 4 for evaluating open pores.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration may be denoted by the same reference numerals, thereby omitting redundant descriptions.

[0010] <Overview> In the field of beauty, using images of the skin surface is a common method for evaluating skin. However, when such image-based methods are applied to the evaluation of pore condition, appropriate evaluation is sometimes not possible. For example, other characteristics of skin condition other than pores, such as fine wrinkles caused by dryness, rough texture, and uneven color, can affect the image data, and depending on the type of pore, multiple adjacent pores may be identified as grooves or wrinkles in the image. In response to this, the inventors diligently investigated methods for evaluating the condition of pores and found that the pore structure inside the skin, more specifically the pore structure in the upper dermis, is related to the condition of pores observed on the skin surface. Based on information related to the pore structure in the upper dermis, the inventors have found a skin evaluation method that can more accurately grasp and evaluate the condition of pores without being affected by other characteristics of skin condition other than pores.

[0011] Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention may be a skin evaluation method that acquires information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject (S10), and evaluates the subject's skin based on the information relating to the pore structure (S20) (Figure 7).

[0012] Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention may be a skin evaluation device having an information acquisition unit 110 that acquires information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject, and an evaluation unit 120 that evaluates the subject's skin based on the information relating to the pore structure (Figure 3).

[0013] In this embodiment, "evaluating the skin" includes, or may be, evaluating the condition of the pores. Furthermore, "the condition of the pores" may include one or more of "open pores" and "sagging pores." Therefore, "evaluating the skin" in this embodiment may be evaluating the skin from the perspective of open pores, sagging pores, or both, and more specifically, it may be evaluating the degree of open pores, the degree of sagging pores, or both.

[0014] The above-mentioned "open pores" are, literally, pores that are open on the surface of the skin, while the above-mentioned "sagging pores" are pores where the skin is indented (sagging in the direction of the depth of the skin), regardless of the degree of pore opening. The inventors have found that in both "open pores" and "sagging pores," the more severe the condition (the worse the condition), the more noticeable the unevenness of the skin becomes, and therefore many subjects with such pore conditions desire improvement. Accordingly, in this embodiment, if it is possible to accurately identify "open pores," "sagging pores," or both, it is possible to appropriately propose measures to improve the condition of the pores.

[0015] <Overall Configuration> Figure 1 shows an example of the overall configuration according to one embodiment. In this example, the skin evaluation system 1 includes a skin evaluation device 10 and a skin internal observation device 20. The skin evaluation device 10 and the skin internal observation device 20 may be connected to each other so that they can send and receive information. The skin evaluation device 10 and the skin internal observation device 20 may both be installed in a predetermined facility (e.g., a beauty salon, a cosmetics store). Alternatively, the skin evaluation device 10 and the skin internal observation device 20 may be connected via an arbitrary network and installed in separate, distant locations.

[0016] The skin evaluation device 10 may consist of a personal computer, tablet terminal, smartphone, etc. The skin evaluation device 10 may have a built-in display device for displaying evaluation results, etc., or a separate display device such as a terminal may be connected to the skin evaluation device 10.

[0017] The skin internal observation device 20 can observe the pore structure in at least the upper dermis of the subject Sb's skin, measure the dimensions and shape of the pore structure, generate information related to the pore structure in the upper dermis, and transmit it to the skin evaluation device 10. The skin evaluation device 10 then acquires and processes the information related to the pore structure in the upper dermis, and can evaluate the subject Sb's skin based on the information related to the pore structure in the upper dermis.

[0018] The skin internal observation device 20 is not particularly limited as long as it is a device that can acquire information (described in detail later) relating to the pore structure in at least the upper dermis. The skin internal observation device 20 may utilize ultrasound, laser, X-ray, magnetic resonance, optical coherence tomography (OCT), etc. Of these, a device that uses ultrasound, especially focused ultrasound, is preferred because it is non-invasive or minimally invasive and allows for simple and inexpensive observation. As an example of the skin internal observation device 20, an ultrasound device is shown in Figure 2.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the skin internal observation device 20 is configured to irradiate the subject Sb's skin SK with ultrasound from the ultrasound probe 6. The ultrasound probe 6 is mounted on a probe stage 14 that can scan in at least two dimensions, and the ultrasound probe 6 can scan along the direction (X-Y direction) of the skin SK so that information on each of the multiple pores in the skin SK can be acquired. The skin internal observation device 20 may also be equipped with a flattening member 9 for the purpose of efficiently and uniformly incident a focused ultrasound beam onto the skin. During observation and measurement, as shown in Figure 2, the skin SK can be pressed against the flattening member 9 to make it adhere and flatten the surface of the skin SK. The flattening member 9 may be located on a stage 4 supported by a support part 5. The ultrasound probe 6 has a built-in ultrasound transducer (focused ultrasound transducer) composed of a thin-film piezoelectric element and an acoustic lens. The ultrasonic beam emitted from the ultrasonic transducer may be configured to be focused in a cone shape via an ultrasonic transmission medium housed within the ultrasonic probe 6, pass through the planarizing member 9, and focus in the dermis layer of the skin SK.

[0020] <Functional Configuration of Skin Evaluation Device> Figure 3 shows a functional block diagram of a skin evaluation device 10 according to one embodiment. The skin evaluation device 10 may include an information acquisition unit 110, an evaluation unit 120, a storage unit 130, a suggestion unit 140, and an output unit 150. Furthermore, the skin evaluation device 10 can function as the information acquisition unit 110, evaluation unit 120, storage unit 130, suggestion unit 140, and output unit 150 by executing a program.

[0021] The information acquisition unit 110 acquires "information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis" of the subject. This "information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis" is information generated by observing and measuring the subject Sb's skin using the skin internal observation device 20 described above. Here, Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the pore structure. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a single pore and the surrounding skin tissue, taken in the depth direction of the skin (thickness direction of the skin). As can be seen from Figure 4, a "pore" is a recess that extends inward from the surface of the skin, reaching a certain depth into the skin. In this specification, the structure of a pore that extends into the skin is specifically called the "pore structure" or "internal pore structure". Therefore, for example, when we refer to the shape of the "pore structure", we are referring to the shape formed by the inner surface of the recess.

[0022] "Upper dermis" refers to the dermis layer closest to the skin's surface. "Pore structure in the upper dermis" PS may refer to the pore structure in the unbranched portion extending in the depth direction (skin thickness direction) from the upper end of the dermis to the upper end of the sebaceous gland. Although detailed illustration is omitted in Figure 4, the papillary layer, the uppermost layer of the dermis, is a layer in which numerous projections (papillary processes) that penetrate the epidermis are formed. Therefore, "upper end of dermis" in this specification may more specifically refer to the upper end of the top of the papillary process closest to (adjacent to) the target pore. Furthermore, "pore structure in the upper dermis" PS may refer to the pore structure in the portion extending from the upper end of the dermis to a depth of 0 μm to 2 mm. Furthermore, the pore structure may be a continuous range with an upper end at a depth of 0 μm to 500 μm from the surface of the skin (the surface of the dermal ridge) and a lower end at a depth of 0 μm to 3.5 mm from the surface of the skin.

[0023] Furthermore, "information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis" may be one or more pieces of information relating to the dimensions and / or shape of the pore structure in the upper dermis. "Information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis" may be, for example, the three-dimensional shape of the pore in the upper dermis, the size of the pore at a predetermined depth, such as cross-sectional area, diameter (longest diameter, area diameter, etc.), circumference, angle, etc.

[0024] "Information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis" may be information about a single pore, but it may also be information obtained from the observation and measurement of multiple pores, for example, five or more pores, or information relating to the 16 mm of skin. ２ It is preferable that the information is obtained from the observation and measurement of pores in the area specified above. If the "information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis" is obtained from the observation and measurement of multiple pores, the average value of the information from multiple pores should be used.

[0025] The evaluation unit 120 evaluates the skin based on information regarding the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject, which is obtained by the information acquisition unit 110. The evaluation unit 120 may include an open pore evaluation unit 121, a sagging pore evaluation unit 122, and a pore type determination unit 123. The evaluation unit 120 may include at least one of the open pore evaluation unit 121 and the sagging pore evaluation unit 122. The pore type determination unit 123 may also be omitted.

[0026] The open pore evaluation unit 121 can evaluate open pores. Through the above-mentioned studies, the inventors have found that open pores have characteristics unique to open pores (also called deep characteristics of open pores) in the pore structure of the upper dermis, and further, that the state of open pores is particularly related to the size of the pore at a first depth d1 of 0 μm to 300 μm from the upper end of the dermis. Based on these findings, the open pore evaluation unit 121 can determine whether the subject's pores are open by determining whether the pore structure in the upper dermis has deep characteristics of open pores (a1). Alternatively, the open pore evaluation unit 121 can evaluate the degree of deep characteristics of open pores in the pore structure of the upper dermis (whether the characteristics are strong or not) by evaluating the degree of open pores in the subject's skin in stages or scores (a2).

[0027] More specifically, the open pore evaluation unit 121 calculates a feature quantity representing the deep characteristics of open pores from the information on the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject obtained by the information acquisition unit 110. This feature quantity may be, for example, the first cross-sectional area A1 of the pore at a first depth d1 from the upper end of the dermis. The larger the first cross-sectional area A1, the worse the condition of the open pores. Note that the above feature quantity is not limited to the cross-sectional area, but may also be the diameter of the pore at the first depth d1, the circumference of the pore, the shape of the pore, etc. A threshold for determining open pores for the above feature quantity is predetermined, and the feature quantity calculated from the information on the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject is compared with the above threshold. By determining whether or not the threshold is exceeded, (a1) it can be determined whether or not the subject's pores are open pores. Furthermore, by pre-determining the relationship between the above-mentioned features and the degree of enlarged pores, the features calculated from information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject can be used to evaluate (a2) the degree of enlarged pores in the subject's skin in stages or with a score, in light of the above-mentioned relationship.

[0028] Furthermore, the threshold used for the determination in (a1), and the relationship between the feature quantities used for the evaluation in (a2) and the degree of enlarged pores, can both be determined in advance. For example, for each of several subjects, information related to the pore structure in the upper dermis is acquired using the skin internal observation device 20, and feature quantities representing the deep characteristics of enlarged pores are calculated, while the pores of the several subjects themselves are observed from the skin surface by trained panelists, etc. Then, for example, based on the observation, it is determined according to a predetermined standard whether the pores of each subject's skin are enlarged pores, and the lower limit of the feature quantities calculated above corresponding to the pores determined to be enlarged pores can be stored in the memory unit 130 as the threshold used in (a1). Alternatively, based on the above observation, the degree of enlarged pores in each subject's skin can be determined according to a predetermined standard, linked to the feature quantities calculated above, and stored in the memory unit 130 as the relationship between the feature quantities used in (a2) and the degree of enlarged pores.

[0029] The first depth d1 described above may be 0 μm or more and 300 μm or less, but preferably 20 μm or more and 250 μm or less, 30 μm or more and 200 μm or less, 50 μm or more and 150 μm or less, 80 μm or more and 120 μm or less, and for example it may be 100 μm.

[0030] Furthermore, the open pore evaluation unit 121 can also evaluate the deep shape of the open pore (the shape of the pore structure in the upper dermis) by utilizing not only the first cross-sectional area A1 of the pore at the first depth d1, but also the second cross-sectional area A2 of the pore at a second depth d2, which is located deeper than the first depth d1. In this case, the ratio value (A1 / A2) of the first cross-sectional area A1 at the first depth to the second cross-sectional area A2 at the second depth can be calculated, and the deep shape of the open pore can be evaluated based on this ratio value.

[0031] The sagging pore evaluation unit 122 can evaluate sagging pores. Through the above-mentioned studies, the inventors have found that sagging pores have unique characteristics (deep characteristics of sagging pores) in the pore structure of the upper dermis. The deep characteristics of sagging pores are their characteristic shape, which tapers as it gets deeper in the upper dermis. The inventors have also found that the state of sagging pores is particularly related to the relative relationship of pore sizes at two predetermined depth positions from the upper end of the dermis. Based on these findings, the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 can determine whether (b1) the subject's pores are sagging pores by determining whether the pore structure in the upper dermis has the deep characteristics of sagging pores. Alternatively, the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 can evaluate the degree of deep features of sagging pores in the pore structure in the upper dermis (whether the features are strong or not), thereby (b2) evaluating the degree of sagging pores in the subject's skin in stages or with a score.

[0032] More specifically, the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 calculates a feature quantity representing the deep characteristics of sagging pores from the information on the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject obtained by the information acquisition unit 110. This feature quantity may be, for example, the ratio (A3 / A4) of the third cross-sectional area A3 of the pore at a third depth d3, which is between 0 μm and 65 μm from the upper edge of the dermis, to the fourth cross-sectional area A4 of the pore at a fourth depth d4, which is deeper than the third depth d3, which is between 65 μm and 300 μm. The larger A3 / A4 is, the worse the condition of the sagging pores. Note that the above feature quantity is not limited to the ratio of cross-sectional areas, but may also be the ratio of the diameter of the pore, the circumference of the pore, etc. Furthermore, instead of the ratio of the values ​​related to the size of the pores obtained at two locations, the difference in the values ​​related to the size of the pores obtained at two locations can also be used as the feature quantity. Furthermore, a threshold for determining sagging pores for the above-mentioned feature quantities is predetermined, and the feature quantities calculated from information related to the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject are compared with the above threshold. Based on whether or not the threshold is exceeded, (b1) it can be determined whether or not the subject's pores are sagging pores. In addition, the relationship between the above-mentioned feature quantities and the degree of sagging pores is predetermined, and the feature quantities calculated from information related to the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject are compared with the above relationship to (b2) the degree of sagging pores in the subject's skin can be evaluated in stages or with a score.

[0033] Furthermore, the threshold used for the determination in (b1) and the relationship between the feature quantities used for the evaluation in (b2) and the degree of sagging pores can both be determined in advance and can be determined in the same way as described above in the explanation of the open pore evaluation unit 121. For example, for each of several subjects, information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis is obtained using the skin internal observation device 20, and feature quantities representing the deep characteristics of sagging pores are calculated, while the pores of the several subjects themselves are observed from the skin surface by trained panelists, etc. Then, for example, based on the observation, it is determined whether the pores on each subject's skin are sagging pores according to a predetermined standard, and the lower limit of the feature quantities calculated above corresponding to the pores determined to be sagging pores can be stored in the memory unit 130 as the threshold used in (b1). Alternatively, based on the above observations, the degree of sagging pores in each subject's skin can be determined according to predetermined criteria, linked to the feature quantities calculated above, and stored in the memory unit 130 as the relationship between the feature quantities used in (b2) and the degree of sagging pores.

[0034] The third depth d3 may be 0 μm or more and 65 μm or less, but preferably 30 μm or more and 65 μm or less, 20 μm or more and 60 μm or less, 45 μm or more and 55 μm or less, or 50 μm. The fourth depth d4 may be 65 μm or more and 300 μm or less, but preferably 65 μm or more and 100 μm or less, 70 μm or more and 200 μm or less, 70 μm or more and 90 μm or less, or 80 μm.

[0035] The difference between the third depth d3 and the fourth depth d4 may be 5 μm or more and 50 μm or less, 10 μm or more and 45 μm or less, 20 μm or more and 40 μm or less, or 30 μm. Furthermore, both the third depth d3 and the fourth depth d4 may be smaller than the first depth d1 explained in the evaluation of the degree of open pores described above, that is, they may be shallower than the first depth d1.

[0036] Note that Figure 4 shows the first depth d1 and the second depth d2, and Figure 5 shows the third depth d3 and the fourth depth d4. However, please be aware that the positions of each depth in Figures 4 and 5 are not the exact positions in the pores, but are schematic representations for the purpose of understanding.

[0037] The pore type determination unit 123 can determine the type of pore based on the evaluation results of open pores by the open pore evaluation unit 121 and the evaluation results of sagging pores by the sagging pore evaluation unit 122. There can be four or more types of pores, but for example, if the open pore evaluation unit 121 determines (a1) whether the subject's pores are open pores and the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 determines (b1) whether the subject's pores are sagging pores, then based on these determination results, it can determine which of the following four pore types it is: ・Type I: Determined to be both open pores and sagging pores ・Type II: Determined to be open pores but not sagging pores ・Type III: Determined not to be open pores but to be sagging pores ・Type IV: Determined to be neither open pores nor sagging pores

[0038] The pore type determination unit 123 determines the pore type of the subject, and the suggestion unit 140 (described later) can then suggest effective measures to the subject according to their pore type.

[0039] Furthermore, the determination of pore types is not limited to those described above. For example, if the open pore evaluation unit 121 (a2) evaluates the degree of open pores on the subject's skin in stages or with a score, and the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 (b2) evaluates the degree of sagging pores on the subject's skin in stages or with a score, then the subjects can be divided into more than four types in total.

[0040] The memory unit 130 can store information acquired from outside the skin evaluation device 10, and can also store information generated within the skin evaluation device 10. For example, the memory unit 130 can store information acquired by the information acquisition unit 110, the results of evaluation or judgment in the evaluation unit 120, and intermediate results derived in the processing in the evaluation unit 120. In addition, as described above, it can also store pre-acquired information such as (a1) a threshold used in determining whether a subject's pores are enlarged pores, (a2) the relationship between feature quantities used in the evaluation of the degree of enlarged pores of the subject's skin at different stages or by scoring, (b1) a threshold used in determining whether a subject's pores are sagging pores, and (b2) the relationship between feature quantities used in the evaluation of the degree of sagging pores of the subject's skin at different stages or by scoring, and the degree of sagging pores.

[0041] The proposal unit 140 can generate and propose measures for the subject's skin according to the results obtained by the evaluation unit 120, that is, according to the condition of the pores evaluated by the evaluation unit 120. These measures may be cosmetics applied to the skin or treatments performed on the skin. Cosmetics applied to the skin may be skincare cosmetics that improve the condition of the pores (lotion, emulsion, cream, serum, etc.) or makeup cosmetics that can make the pores less noticeable (foundation, primer, BB cream, concealer, blush, etc.). Treatments performed on the skin may be treatments using beauty devices that can apply electrical and / or physical stimulation, treatments performed by an esthetician by hand, etc. Furthermore, the above measures may also include suggestions for improving lifestyle habits, including diet and sleep, and suggestions for supplements. The above measures may be proposed individually or in combination.

[0042] The output unit 150 can output the results obtained by the evaluation unit 120 and the measures generated by the proposal unit 140. Also, the output unit 150 can output the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 110. The data output by the output unit 150 can be referred to by the target person or a person other than the target person (such as a beauty staff member, an esthetician, etc.). The format of the output data may be visual data that can be visually recognized, such as an image, or auditory data that can be aurally recognized, such as voice. The output unit 150 can display visual data, for example, as text, a chart, on an output device (described later) in the skin evaluation device 10.

[0043] <Hardware Configuration> Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the skin evaluation device 10 according to an embodiment. Each hardware of the skin evaluation device 10 is interconnected via a bus.

[0044] The skin evaluation device 10 may include a control device 1001, a main memory device 1002, an auxiliary storage device 1003, an input device 1004, an output device 1005, and an interface unit 1006.

[0045] The control device 1001 may be a processor (for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc.) that executes various programs installed in the auxiliary storage device 1003.

[0046] The main memory device 1002 includes a non-volatile memory (ROM (Read Only Memory)) and a volatile memory (RAM (Random Access Memory)). The ROM stores various programs, data, etc. necessary for the control device 1001 to execute various programs installed in the auxiliary storage device 1003. The RAM provides a working area that is expanded when various programs installed in the auxiliary storage device 1003 are executed by the control device 1001.

[0047] The auxiliary storage device 1003 is an auxiliary storage device that stores various programs and information used when various programs are executed.

[0048] The input device 1004 is an input device used by the operator of the skin evaluation device 10 to input various instructions to the skin evaluation device 10.

[0049] The output device 1005 is an output device that outputs the internal state of the skin evaluation device 10, etc.

[0050] The interface unit 1006 is a communication device for connecting to a network and communicating with other devices.

[0051] <Skin Condition Evaluation Method and Treatment Proposal Method> Figure 7 shows an example of a flowchart relating to a process according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 shows a skin evaluation method that includes acquiring information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject (S10), and evaluating the subject's skin based on the information relating to the pore structure (S20). A treatment proposal method is also shown that includes acquiring information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject (S10), evaluating the subject's skin based on the information relating to the pore structure (S20), and proposing treatment for the subject's skin according to the evaluation (S30).

[0052] In step S10, the information acquisition unit 110 acquires information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject.

[0053] In step S20, the evaluation unit 120 evaluates the subject's skin based on the information obtained in step S10 regarding the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject.

[0054] In step S30, the proposal unit 140 proposes measures for the subject's skin according to the evaluation results in step S20.

[0055] Furthermore, Figure 8 shows a flowchart illustrating in more detail an example of the processing in step S20 (processing by the evaluation unit 120 described above) for evaluating the subject's skin. This example flowchart includes evaluation of both enlarged pores and sagging pores, and further determines the pore type.

[0056] As shown in Figure 8, in step S21, the open pore evaluation unit 121 calculates a first cross-sectional area A1 at a first depth d1 from the information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject obtained in step S10. This first cross-sectional area A1 is a characteristic quantity that characterizes open pores. Furthermore, in step S22, the open pore evaluation unit 121 evaluates open pores based on the first cross-sectional area A1.

[0057] In step S23, the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 calculates the third cross-sectional area A3 at the third depth d3 and the fourth cross-sectional area A4 at the fourth depth d4 from the information on the pore structure in the upper dermis of the subject obtained in step S10. Furthermore, in step S24, the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 calculates the ratio value (A3 / A4) of the third cross-sectional area A3 to the fourth cross-sectional area A4. Subsequently, in step S25, the sagging pore evaluation unit 122 evaluates the sagging pores based on the ratio value (A3 / A4) of the third cross-sectional area A3 to the fourth cross-sectional area A4.

[0058] In step S26, the pore type determination unit 123 determines the pore type based on the evaluation results of open pores in step S22 and the evaluation results of sagging pores in step S25.

[0059] Although steps S21 and S22 are performed before steps S23 to S25, they may be performed simultaneously with steps S23 to S25 or after steps S23 to S25.

[0060] By using this embodiment as described above, the condition of pores can be more accurately understood and the skin can be evaluated without being affected by other characteristics of the skin condition other than pores. For example, conventionally, in cases where (i) the pores are not actually open, but the overall skin is rough and the texture is uneven, making the pores appear open, or (ii) the pores are significantly sagging, causing multiple adjacent pores to look like wrinkles, evaluation methods based on images, etc., cannot properly understand the condition of the pores, and inappropriate measures (such as skincare methods) may be proposed. In contrast, with the skin evaluation according to this embodiment, even in cases like (i) and (ii) above, the condition of the pores themselves can be accurately understood, so appropriate measures for the skin can be proposed and implemented.

[0061] [Example 1: Evaluation of enlarged pores (evaluation based on the first cross-sectional area A1)] 23 mm of skin on the cheek of 15 male and 75 female subjects. ２ For the region, the pore structure in the upper dermis was observed and measured using a focused ultrasound skin internal observation device 20 as shown in Figure 2. From the measured pore structure information, the first cross-sectional area A1 of the pore at a depth position of approximately 100 μm from the upper edge of the dermis (first depth d1, Figure 4) was calculated. The first cross-sectional area A1 was the average value of the cross-sectional areas calculated for each of the multiple pores within the above region. Meanwhile, trained panelists visually assessed the degree of enlarged pores in each subject's skin and classified them into five groups according to the grade of enlarged pores. Furthermore, the average value of the first cross-sectional area A1 was calculated for each group classified according to the grade of enlarged pores.

[0062] Figure 9 shows a graph with the open pore grade on the horizontal axis and the value of the first cross-sectional area A1 on the vertical axis. Figure 9(a) shows the results for male subjects only, and Figure 9(b) shows the results for female subjects only. As shown in Figure 9, it was found that in both male subjects (Figure 9(a)) and female subjects (Figure 9(b)), if there was a difference in the visual evaluation (open pore grade) by the panelists, there was also a significant difference in the first cross-sectional area A1.

[0063] [Example 2: Evaluation of enlarged pores (evaluation based on the first cross-sectional area A1 and the second cross-sectional area A2)] Using the same method as described in "Example 1," the pore structure in the upper dermis was observed and measured. From the measured pore structure information, in addition to the first cross-sectional area A1, the second cross-sectional area A2 of the pore at a depth of approximately 360 μm from the upper edge of the dermis (second depth d2, Figure 4) was calculated in the same manner. The ratio of the first cross-sectional area A1 to the second cross-sectional area A2 (A1 / A2) was then calculated. Furthermore, using the same method as described in "Example 1," the subjects were divided into enlarged pore grades, and the average value of A1 / A2 was calculated for each enlarged pore grade.

[0064] Figure 10 shows a graph with the open pore grade on the horizontal axis and A1 / A2 on the vertical axis. Figure 10(a) shows the results for male subjects only, and Figure 10(b) shows the results for female subjects only. As shown in Figure 10, it was found that for both male subjects (Figure 10(a)) and female subjects (Figure 10(b)), if there was a difference in the visual evaluation (open pore grade) by the panelists, there was also a difference in A1 / A2.

[0065] [Example 3: Evaluation of sagging pores (evaluation based on the third cross-sectional area A3 and the fourth cross-sectional area A4)] Using the same method as described in "Example 1," the pore structure in the upper dermis was observed and measured. From the measured pore structure information, the third cross-sectional area A3 of the pore at a depth of approximately 50 μm from the upper edge of the dermis (third depth d3, Figure 5) and the fourth cross-sectional area A4 of the pore at a depth of approximately 80 μm from the upper edge of the dermis (fourth depth d4, Figure 5) were calculated. Furthermore, the ratio of the third cross-sectional area A3 to the fourth cross-sectional area A4 (A3 / A4) was calculated. In addition, using the same method as described in "Example 1," the subjects were divided according to the sagging pore grade, and the average value of A3 / A4 was calculated for each sagging pore grade.

[0066] Figure 11 shows a graph with sagging pore grade on the horizontal axis and A3 / A4 on the vertical axis. Note that the graph in Figure 11 shows results only for female subjects. As shown in Figure 11, it was found that when there was a difference in the panelists' visual evaluation (sagging pore grade), there was also a difference in A3 / A4.

[0067] [Example 4: Evaluation of enlarged pores (evaluation based on the first cross-sectional area A1)] 23 mm of skin on the cheek of each of 31 female subjects ２ For the area, the pore structure in the upper dermis was observed and measured using a focused ultrasound skin internal observation device 20 as shown in Figure 2. Then, from the measured information on the pore structure, images showing the cross-section of the pores at a depth of approximately 80 μm from the upper edge of the dermis were obtained and image diagnosis was performed.

[0068] Figure 12 shows an image of the skin surface and an image of a cross-section of a pore at a depth of approximately 80 μm from the upper edge of the dermis . From the image diagnosis results of the deep skin image (approximately 80 μm from the upper edge of the dermis) shown in Figure 12 , it was found that even in people who appear to have only wrinkles and no pores visible from the skin surface, as shown in Figure 12 , it is possible to evaluate that sagging pores and enlarged pores are the cause of the wrinkles.

[0069] Although the present invention has been described above based on specific embodiments, these embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Within the scope of the disclosure of the present invention, various changes, modifications, substitutions, deletions, additions, and combinations are possible.

[0070] This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-025709, filed on 20 February 2025, and the entire contents of No. 2025-025709 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0071] 1 Skin evaluation system 10 Skin evaluation device 20 Skin internal observation device 110 Information acquisition unit 120 Evaluation unit 121 Open pore evaluation unit 122 Sagging pore evaluation unit 123 Pore type determination unit 130 Storage unit 140 Proposal unit 150 Output unit 1001 Control device 1002 Main memory 1003 Auxiliary memory 1004 Input device 1005 Output device 1006 Interface unit Sb Target person

Claims

1. A skin evaluation method that obtains information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject and evaluates the subject's skin based on the information relating to the pore structure.

2. The skin evaluation method according to claim 1, wherein the skin evaluation is an evaluation of the condition of the pores.

3. The skin evaluation method according to claim 2, wherein the evaluation of the pore condition is an evaluation from the perspective of enlarged pores, sagging pores, or both.

4. The skin evaluation method according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the pore structure includes one or more of the three-dimensional shape of the pores in the upper dermis and the size of the pores at a predetermined depth.

5. A skin evaluation method according to claim 3 or 4, which evaluates the degree of enlarged pores based on the cross-sectional area at a depth of 0 μm to 300 μm from the upper edge of the dermis.

6. A skin evaluation method according to claim 3 or 4, which evaluates the shape of the deep part of an open pore based on a first cross-sectional area at a first depth of 0 μm to 300 μm from the upper edge of the dermis, and a second cross-sectional area at a second depth of 200 μm to 2 mm from the upper edge of the dermis, which is deeper than the first depth.

7. The skin evaluation method according to claim 6, wherein the degree of enlarged pores is evaluated based on the ratio of the first cross-sectional area to the second cross-sectional area.

8. A skin evaluation method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the degree of sagging pores is evaluated based on a third cross-sectional area at a third depth of 0 μm to 65 μm from the upper edge of the dermis, and a fourth cross-sectional area at a fourth depth deeper than the third depth, at 65 μm to 300 μm from the upper edge of the dermis.

9. The skin evaluation method according to claim 8, wherein the degree of sagging pores is evaluated based on the ratio of the third cross-sectional area to the fourth cross-sectional area.

10. The skin evaluation method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein information relating to the pore structure is obtained using an ultrasonic device.

11. A method for proposing measures, comprising evaluating the condition of the subject's pores using the skin evaluation method described in claim 1 or 2, and proposing measures for the subject's skin according to the condition of the pores.

12. The proposed method for the measure according to claim 11, wherein the measure comprises one or more of the following: a cosmetic applied to the skin and a treatment performed on the skin.

13. A skin evaluation device comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject; and an evaluation unit that evaluates the subject's skin based on the information relating to the pore structure.

14. A program to cause a computer to function as an information acquisition unit that acquires information relating to the pore structure in the upper dermis of a subject, and an evaluation unit that evaluates the subject's skin based on the information relating to the pore structure.

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