PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for quantifying a skin condition of a subject with a high degree of accuracy.SOLUTION: A method of evaluating a skin condition uses skin image data which is acquired by receiving reflection light obtained by reflecting linear or point-like light projected on a skin of a subject by a surface and the inside of the skin and corresponds to an evaluation target area of the skin. The method of evaluating a skin condition includes: acquiring pieces of the skin image data comprising a set of images of a skin area apart from a projection position of the light on the skin by a prescribed distance with respect to respectively different, prescribed distances calculating distribution values of reflection light intensity in the evaluation target area of the skin with respect to the respective prescribed distances from plural pieces of the skin image data acquired with respect to the respective prescribed distances and evaluating the skin condition of the evaluation target area in accordance with respective spatial distributions of the reflection light by the skin surface and the inside of the skin that are indicated by the distribution values of the reflection light intensity that are calculated with respect to the respective prescribed distances.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】被験者の肌状態を高精度に定量化する技術を提供する。【解決手段】肌状態評価方法は、被験者の肌に投射された線状又は点状の光がその肌の表面及び内部で反射された反射光を受光することにより得られる、その肌の評価対象領域に対応する肌画像データであって、当該光のその肌上の投射位置から所定距離離れた肌領域の画像の集合からなる肌画像データを、各々異なる各所定距離に関しそれぞれ取得し、上記各所定距離に関しそれぞれ取得された複数の肌画像データから、当該肌の評価対象領域における反射光強度の分布値を上記各所定距離に関しそれぞれ算出し、上記各所定距離に関しそれぞれ算出される反射光強度の分布値が示す肌表面及び肌内部での反射光の各空間分布に基づいて、上記評価対象領域の肌状態を評価することを含む。【選択図】図3
