Water gradient and calibration of stratum corneum hydration measurements

Absolute water content in the epidermal stratum corneum (s.c.) can be determined by means of 88 Hz electrical susceptance measurements. In the in vitro calibration necessary to find moisture content, the s.c. will have a uniform distribution of water. However, in vivo stratum corneum will have an increasing water gradient from the outermost towards the innermost parts. This paper will consider the possibiltiy of finding mathematical solutions to the measured susceptance. Given an analytical expression of the water gradient in the s.c. and if the dependence of the measured susceptance on the water content is known, is there an analytical solution to the measured susceptance and what constant level of moisture in the s.c. will reflect this analytical solution.