Assessing thermal effects of laser illumination in photoacoustic imaging: skin-age-gender-specific skin response and safety guidelines

Laser illumination is crucial in photoacoustic imaging and must meet safety regulations to avoid skin hyperthermia. Skin characteristics significantly impact heat absorption during laser exposure. This study assesses the thermal effect of laser light on skin, focusing on parameters such as skin type, age, and gender. A robust bioheat model predicts skin temperature changes due to laser-tissue interactions. Results show that skin type had significant impact for visible light (660nm) compared to NIR light (805nm). This is due to significant differences in absorption coefficients. Darker skin types reach hyperthermia faster than lighter skin types for visible light (660nm), while at NIR light, there was no significant change by skin type. Age showed a more significant impact for visible light (660nm) than NIR light (805nm). Older individuals exhibit a less pronounced temperature increase than younger individuals, suggesting the need for age-specific protocols to ensure safety and effectiveness. Males reach hyperthermia faster than females. This is observed for both visible light (660nm) and NIR light (805nm). This study highlights the need for skin-age-gender specific laser treatment protocols to ensure safety and effectiveness.