FOURIER-TRANSFORM RAMAN AND INFRARED VIBRATIONAL STUDY OF HUMAN SKIN - ASSIGNMENT OF SPECTRAL BANDS

Fourier transform (FT) Raman and infrared spectra of the outermost layer of human skin, the stratum corneum, were recorded. Assignments consistent with the FT Raman vibrations were made for the first time and compared with assignments from the FTIR spectrum. The results demonstrate that FT Raman spectroscopy holds several advantages over FTIR in studies of human skin. The molecular and conformational nature of human skin, and modifications induced by drug or chemical treatments, may be assessed by FT Raman spectroscopy.