Secure your system before EOFY

Technology Explainer

How we reveal what's under the skin

Our novel imaging calibration and software suite can capture chromophore activity up to 2 mm into the dermis — making melanin distribution and oxyhaemoglobin concentration visible without UV lamps or contrast agents. For any part of the body.

How light penetrates and what it reveals

Interactive skin depth diagram — light beam penetration and chromophore absorption The Canon R10 emits a 5200K beam into skin. It absorbs melanin signatures in the epidermis and oxyhaemoglobin in the papillary dermis, then reflects back carrying those spectral imprints to the sensor. Stratum corneum Epidermis 0.05–0.15 mm Papillary dermis 0–2 mm depth Reticular dermis 2–4 mm Subcutaneous ≈2 mm 2 mm limit Melanin Oxyhaemoglobin (superficial vessels) Canon EOS R10 Melanin absorbed pink / magenta wavelengths HbO₂ absorbed red / orange wavelengths Sensor reads signature ✓ 5200 K beam ↓
Beam depth Surface
Drag the slider to send the beam through the skin layers.

Visible light at 5200 K penetrates skin to approximately 2 mm — deep enough to reach the superficial capillary bed in the papillary dermis, but shallow enough that epidermal melanin signals remain distinct. As photons scatter back out, they carry a spectral imprint of every chromophore they encountered — that imprint is what the sensor reads.

Two biological targets — one RAW file

Magenta channel

Melanin

Melanin absorbs most strongly in the UV–violet range with a broad tail through visible wavelengths. Adjusting the magenta channel in Lightroom isolates this pigment layer — revealing distribution, density, and unevenness of epidermal melanin without UV lamps.

Hue shift channel

Oxyhaemoglobin

Oxyhaemoglobin has sharp absorption peaks at 415 nm, 542 nm, and 577 nm — all within the 5200 K window. A targeted hue shift in Lightroom renders oxygenated vessels as a distinct tone, mapping superficial vascular activity to approximately 2 mm depth.

Visible spectrum — key absorption peaks

Absorption spectrum from 380nm to 700nm showing melanin and oxyhaemoglobin peaks Horizontal gradient bar representing visible light spectrum with vertical markers at key absorption wavelengths for melanin and oxyhaemoglobin. 380 nm 700 nm — 5200 K illumination window — Melanin ~365–410 nm HbO₂ 415 nm HbO₂ 542 / 577 nm

Why this hardware combination works

Camera Canon EOS R10 APS-C CMOS sensor, 24.2 MP, full Bayer RGB capture
File format RAW (CR3) Lossless, 14-bit colour data with no in-camera processing applied to chromatic channels — the raw photon-count ratios are preserved intact
Colour temperature 5200 K (daylight calibrated) Balanced to cover all oxyhaemoglobin absorption peaks (415, 542, 577 nm) and the melanin excitation range simultaneously
Why 5200 K specifically Warmer light (3200 K) under-exposes the blue/violet channel where melanin absorbs. Cooler light (6500 K) over-represents it. 5200 K is the calibration point where both chromophore signatures are captured within the sensor's optimal dynamic range.
Why RAW matters JPEG applies in-camera tone curves and white balance that merge distinct chromophore signals into a processed approximation. RAW preserves original Bayer sensor values so Lightroom sliders act on real chromatic ratios, not post-processed data.
Effective depth 0–2 mm into dermis 5200 K visible light scatters and is absorbed beyond ~2 mm; near-infrared is required for deeper structures
Lightroom controls HSL Magenta panel (melanin) · HSL Red/Orange Hue shift (oxyhaemoglobin) Operated independently — each targets a distinct chromophore absorption band within the same RAW file

From capture to clinical insight

1

Standardised capture

Canon R10 set to RAW (CR3), white balance manually set to 5200 K, consistent flash or continuous panel lighting at matching colour temperature. Same subject position, distance, and angle for every session.

2

RAW import — no auto corrections

Images imported into Lightroom Classic with camera profile matching the R10. Lens correction applied; all auto-adjustments off. The raw Bayer data is preserved with no chromatic processing applied.

3

Apply a clinical skin filter — non-destructive

Our CIA imaging plugin provides a suite of calibrated, non-destructive presets directly inside Lightroom Classic. Select the filter that matches your clinical goal — melanin, vascular, or fine lines — and the image updates instantly. Nothing is written to the original file.

Clinical Imaging Skin Filters
Default
Fine Lines
Melanin Deep ( max –2 mm )
Melanin Epidermal
Variance Fitz 1–3
Vascular Dermal –2 mm
Vascular Superficial

Export workflow

R
RAW file
in catalogue
→
Select
filter preset
→
Virtual copies
non-destructive
→
Export to
patient file
→
Matched
clinical set

Each filter is applied to a virtual copy — Lightroom's non-destructive duplication. The original RAW file is never altered. Export saves each render as a JPEG into the patient's folder: one standard, one melanin, one vascular. Ready to compare at the next visit.

What your imaging results mean for your skin

Seeing beneath the surface changes everything

Before we recommend any treatment, we photograph your skin using two specialised filters — one for pigmentation, one for blood vessels. What looks like a minor surface concern on a standard photo can reveal a very different story underneath. Here's what each filter shows, and what we can do about it.

Melanin filter
Pigmentation & photo damage ⌄
What we see The melanin filter reveals how melanin — the pigment produced by your skin cells — is distributed beneath the surface. Uneven clusters appear as darker areas and indicate sun damage, post-inflammatory pigmentation (marks left by acne or injury), melasma, and early lentigines (sunspots) that aren't yet visible to the naked eye. It also shows the true extent of pigmentation that foundation or skin tone can partially conceal in a standard photo.
Conditions visible
Vitiligo Scarring Melasma Photo-damage Solar keratosis Photoaging Hyperpigmentation

Energy device

Alma Hybrid laser

Combines 1570 nm non-ablative and CO₂ ablative wavelengths to target melanin-dense cells at precise depths. Fractionated delivery means minimal downtime while breaking up pigment clusters and stimulating collagen remodelling. Ideal for diffuse photo damage and uneven texture.

Energy device

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)

Broad-spectrum light selectively absorbed by melanin. Effective for discrete sunspots and superficial pigment. Often used as a maintenance treatment between laser sessions, or as a first-line option for mild to moderate photo damage.

Topical protocol

Brightening & pigment suppression

Prescription or cosmeceutical-grade ingredients — including tranexamic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, and azelaic acid — reduce melanin production at the cellular level. The melanin filter allows us to track whether your home regimen is working before it's visible in a standard photo.

Prevention

Photoprotection strategy

The melanin image often reveals subclinical UV damage years before it surfaces. This gives us a baseline to monitor over time — and a compelling reason for consistent, correctly applied SPF 50+ as the foundation of any pigment treatment plan.

Vascular filter
Redness, rosacea & vessel activity ⌄
What we see The vascular filter isolates oxyhaemoglobin — the molecule that makes blood red — in superficial vessels sitting 0–2 mm beneath the skin surface. It maps areas of active blood flow, dilated capillaries, telangiectasia (broken visible vessels), diffuse erythema (background redness), and the flushing patterns characteristic of rosacea. Inflammation from acne, post-treatment response, and areas of chronic UV-induced vascular remodelling all appear distinctly in this view.
Conditions visible
Telangiectasia Port wine stains Varicose veins Eczema Rosacea Acne scarring

Energy device

Alma Harmony / Nd:YAG laser

Long-pulse Nd:YAG at 1064 nm targets oxyhaemoglobin selectively, heating and collapsing dilated vessels without damaging surrounding tissue. Highly effective for discrete telangiectasia, spider veins on the face, and port wine stains.

Energy device

IPL vascular mode

IPL filtered to the 515–600 nm range targets the oxyhaemoglobin absorption peaks at 542 and 577 nm. Effective for diffuse redness and mild rosacea. The vascular filter image lets us see exactly which areas are responding between sessions — often before the change is visible in natural light.

Medical management

Rosacea treatment protocol

For rosacea, the vascular filter reveals the full inflammatory burden — including subclinical areas of persistent flushing not visible in a standard photo. This guides prescription topicals (metronidazole, ivermectin, brimonidine) and helps determine when energy-based treatment is warranted alongside medical management.

Monitoring

Post-treatment vascular response

After any energy device treatment, the vascular image reveals the degree of inflammatory response and how quickly the skin is settling. This takes the guesswork out of recovery assessment and helps calibrate energy settings for the next session.

Both filters
Combined pigment & vascular concerns ⌄
What we see Many patients present with overlapping pigment and vascular concerns — melasma overlying rosacea, post-acne pigmentation alongside active inflammation, or generalised photo damage with both lentigines and telangiectasia. Reading both filters together tells us which concern is driving the presentation and in what order to treat — getting the sequence wrong can worsen one condition while addressing the other.

Sequenced treatment

Vascular first, pigment second

Where active inflammation is present alongside pigmentation, treating the vascular component first reduces the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from laser or IPL. The melanin filter confirms when it's safe to proceed to pigment-targeting energy.

Combination platform

Alma Hybrid dual-mode

The Hybrid's ability to combine wavelengths in a single pass makes it well-suited to mixed presentations — addressing pigmented lesions and stimulating dermal remodelling without separate treatment days. The imaging baseline ensures we're targeting the right tissue at the right depth.

Clinical results — captured with this system

The following images were captured using the CIA imaging system across partner clinics. Each shows what becomes visible through the chromophore filters — information that shapes the treatment plan before any procedure begins.

Four-panel clinical imaging result showing vascular and standard views of rosacea patient
Vascular filter Glasgow Skin Clinic

Rosacea — vascular mapping across four filter views

Left to right: vascular filter (oxyhaemoglobin isolation), two melanin depth renders, and standard colour. The filter views reveal the full extent of diffuse erythema and telangiectasia — significantly greater than the standard image suggests.

Melanin filter bilateral comparison showing melasma distribution
Melanin filter Muse Clinic

Melasma — bilateral melanin depth comparison

Melanin epidermal filter (left) vs melanin deep filter (right). The depth difference reveals how much pigment is dermal vs epidermal — critical for selecting the correct laser wavelength and avoiding post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Three-panel clinical image showing standard colour, vascular filter, and melanin filter views of photo-damaged skin
Vascular filter Melanin filter

Photo-damage — three-filter panel

Standard colour (left), vascular render (centre), melanin render (right). Solar keratoses, diffuse erythema, and subclinical pigmentation all become visible simultaneously — enabling a sequenced treatment plan targeting both chromophore layers.

Before and after vascular filter views showing rosacea treatment response
Vascular filter

Rosacea — treatment response tracking

Pre-treatment vascular filter (left) vs post-Picogenesis session (right). The oxyhaemoglobin render objectively maps the reduction in diffuse erythema and vessel activity across the face — a vascular change not reliably visible in standard colour photography at this early stage.

Images courtesy of partner clinics. All subjects consented to use of clinical photography for education and demonstration purposes.

Before and after showing Chroma Variance filter separating rosacea skin tones
Chroma Variance filter Point Color panel

Separating skin tones for clinical definition

The Chroma Variance slider — found within the Point Color panel — works inside the Colour Mixer to either harmonise similar tones or push contrast between them with precise control.

In a clinical context, this means we can separate the subtle colour differences between healthy skin, erythematous tissue, and hyperpigmented areas that standard HSL editing blends together. The result is a render where skin condition boundaries, texture quality differences, and laxity gradients become distinctly visible — including fine lines and open pores that are otherwise lost in uniform skin tone.

→ Separates rosacea tone from surrounding healthy skin
→ Reveals fine lines, pores, and textural laxity in context
→ Defines pigmentation boundaries for precise treatment mapping
→ Non-destructive — applied as a virtual copy alongside melanin and vascular renders
Why imaging before treatment matters. Every treatment recommendation we make is informed by what the camera sees, not just what's visible to the eye. The melanin and vascular filters give us an objective baseline — so when we photograph you again after treatment, we can show you precisely what has changed beneath the surface, not just how you look in the mirror.

Scientific references

  1. Anderson RR, Parrish JA. The optics of human skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 1981;77(1):13–19. Foundational study establishing wavelength-dependent penetration depths in human skin — the basis for the 5200 K optical window used in chromophore imaging.
  2. Zonios G, Dimou A, Carraro C, et al. Melanin absorption spectroscopy: new method for noninvasive skin investigation and melanoma detection. Journal of Biomedical Optics. 2008;13(1):014017. Characterises melanin absorption across the visible spectrum and validates its isolation via chromatic channel analysis in photographic systems.
  3. Prahl SA. Optical absorption of haemoglobin. Oregon Medical Laser Centre; 1999. Available at: omlc.org/spectra/haemoglobin Definitive spectroscopic reference for oxyhaemoglobin (HbO₂) absorption peaks at 415 nm, 542 nm, and 577 nm — the Soret and Q-bands exploited by the vascular imaging filter.
  4. Jacques SL. Optical properties of biological tissues: a review. Physics in Medicine and Biology. 2013;58(11):R37–R61. Comprehensive review of scattering and absorption properties across skin layers, supporting the ~2 mm effective penetration depth of visible light at 5200 K colour temperature.
  5. Takiwaki H, Shirai S, Kohno H, Soh H, Arase S. The degrees of UVB-induced erythema and pigmentation correlate linearly and are reduced in a parallel manner by topical anti-inflammatory agents. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 1994;103(2):256–260. Validates chromophore-based quantification of erythema and melanin as objective, reproducible clinical measures — supporting the use of vascular and pigment filters for treatment response tracking.
  6. Stamatas GN, Southall M, Kollias N. In vivo monitoring of cutaneous edema using spectral imaging in the visible and near infrared. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2006;126(8):1753–1760. Demonstrates that standard RGB and multi-spectral imaging can non-invasively resolve oxyhaemoglobin and melanin distribution across skin layers without UV illumination.
Clinical Imaging Australia · Your Image Matters · Elevating the Standards of Clinical Photography