Exemplary AFM application in cosmetology

Atomic force microscopy can be used in the diagnosis of the condition of human tissues such as skin, nails and hair. This is obviously related to the use of a variety of cosmetic products and can be understood as an attempt to assess their long-term impact on human appearance and health. An example may be the studies presented in [1] indicating the usefulness of the use of AFM in the assessment of the effect of creams on corneocytes. The presented research was not limited only to imaging, but also included spectroscopic measurements, indicating the variability of mechanical properties of the tested cells, expressed in the values of Young's modulus, and changes in the adhesion forces. It should also be noted that the aforementioned research was carried out in cooperation with one of the significant Polish cosmetics companies. The presented collection confirms the possibility of using an atomic force microscope for imaging the surface of a human hair. Measurements were made in the semi-contact mode using the NSG30 probe. The set contains 14 images, similar to those found in the reference source [2]. [1] I. Dulińska-Molak, M. Lekka, M. Lewandowska, M. Pasikowska, B. Tyszczuk, I. Eris, Wstępne badania nad charakteryzowaniem korneocytów za pomocą mikroskopu sił atomowych (AFM), Pol J Cosmetol. 15(1) (2012) 50-57. [2] S.D. O’Connor, K.L. Komisarek, J.D. Baldeschwieler, Atomic force microscopy of human hair cuticles: A microscopic study of environmental effects on hair morphology, J. Invest. Dermatol. 105 (1995) 96–99. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12313377.原子力显微镜（Atomic force microscopy）可用于诊断人体皮肤、指甲与毛发等组织的状态。该技术的应用与各类化妆品的使用场景高度相关，本质上是为了评估化妆品对人体外观及健康的长期影响。例如文献[1]中呈现的研究，证实了原子力显微镜（AFM）在评估面霜对角质细胞作用效果中的应用价值。该项研究不仅局限于成像环节，还涵盖了光谱测量，揭示了被测细胞的机械特性变化——以杨氏模量（Young's modulus）数值及粘附力的改变作为量化表征。需特别说明的是，前述研究由合作团队与波兰一家极具影响力的化妆品企业共同完成。 本次公开的数据集验证了利用原子力显微镜对人体毛发表面进行成像的可行性，实验采用NSG30探针，在半接触模式下完成测量。该数据集共包含14张图像，与参考文献[2]中的图像类型一致。 [1] I. Dulińska-Molak, M. Lekka, M. Lewandowska, M. Pasikowska, B. Tyszczuk, I. Eris. 基于原子力显微镜（AFM）对角质细胞进行表征的初步研究. 波兰化妆品学杂志（Pol J Cosmetol）, 15(1) (2012) 50-57. [2] S.D. O’Connor, K.L. Komisarek, J.D. Baldeschwieler. 人体毛发角质层的原子力显微镜研究：环境因素对毛发形态影响的显微分析. 皮肤病研究杂志（J. Invest. Dermatol.）, 105 (1995) 96–99. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12313377.