Application of high molecular PEG for optical clearing of skin

In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a molecular weight of 6000 Daltons was used for optical clearing of human skin in vivo. This choice supposes skin optical clearing based on the tissue dehydration since penetration of large molecules into the skin is impossible. OCT tomograms were recorded using Spectral Radar OCT System OCP930SR 022 at the 930 nm before and during application of PEG solution on the skin surface of volunteers. The obtained data were used to calculate the time-dependence of the light attenuation coefficient in the skin. Then the characteristic time, degree, efficiency and rate of skin optical clearing were estimated. Also the time-dependence of skin probing depth was obtained.