Hyperspectral imaging and healthy aging: an observational study using hand skin as surface for monitoring healthy aging processes

With the global rise in life expectancy, promoting healthy aging has become a central focus in biomedical research. From global initiatives like The World Health Organization's Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) to local ones, they highlight the need for accessible, non-invasive, and cost-effective tools to monitor aging-related physiological changes. Since the hand skin is an easily accessible tissue, it can offer valuable insights into aging processes, influenced by age, gender, and environment, as suggested by the paradigm of One Health. In this study, we exploited the potential of Visible and Near-Infrared Hyperspectral Reflectance Imaging (Vis-NIRHSI) as a quantitative, non-invasive method for monitoring skin aging in healthy individuals. A dataset of 101 hand-skin hypercubes images, from healthy volunteers over 40 years old, was acquired with a dedicated camera and analyzed in the range of 410 - 820 nm. A total of 224 spectral and texture features were extracted at selected wavelengths to investigate age-related variations in skin properties and to establish a standard reference map. Among these, 15 were retained as significant descriptors of the aging process and were used to build reference curves for the "healthy status condition." A questionnaire about quality and perception of lifestyle was administered to describe the sampled population in terms of exposome. Our findings suggest that hyperspectral skin analysis can serve as a promising biomonitoring approach for assessing aging dynamics and may contribute to the development of reliable tools for supporting healthy aging monitoring strategies.