Four-Dimensional Wave Propagation Measurements with Optical Coherence Elastography for Human Facial Acne Applications

Acne is a prevalent skin condition, especially among adolescents, and current diagnostic methods such as biopsy are invasive and may cause patient discomfort. To address the need for a non-invasive, quantitative assessment, this study proposes the use of three-dimensional (3D) optical coherence elastography (OCE) to monitor the biomechanical properties of facial acne. Leveraging the combination of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) with high resolution and an external stimulation system to induce surface acoustic wave (SAW), the mean stiffness (Young’s modulus) of facial acne was measured and monitored over time. Datasets from five participants were collected, including healthy skin (mean Young’s modulus: 56.88 ± 13.30 kPa) and facial acne scanned on Day 1, Day 5, and Day 10, separately. Results demonstrated an example with a significant difference in stiffness between the facial acne region and surrounding skin, with facial acne areas showing a higher initial modulus (368.61 ± 75.06 kPa). For the ten facial acne datasets over the 10-day observation period, the normalized Young’s modulus of acne lesions decreased to 46.24%, reflecting the healing process. Also, in this exemplary data, the propagation of SAW is shown in two-dimensional (2D) and 3D separately in different frames. This study highlights the potential of 3D OCE for non-invasive, quantitative evaluation of acne development, offering clinicians a valuable tool for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment planning. Future works should focus on increasing the number of participants to enlarge the database.