Non-contact thermal imaging as potential tool for personalized diagnosis and prevention of cellulite

Cellulite, a condition causing dimpled skin, affects around 85% of women in developed countries, significantly impacting their quality of life and self-esteem. Early and personalized diagnosis of different cellulite stages is currently lacking, making prevention and early intervention challenging. The researchers used infrared (IR) thermography to analyze the body’s surface temperature distribution and successfully diagnosed cellulite stages in female volunteers. They recorded thermal images of the back of the thighs and identified cellulite areas for analysis. Using a custom classification scheme, they achieved over 80% accuracy in recognizing cellulite stages, which could be further improved to over 97% with a threshold value correction scheme. The study demonstrated that IR thermography, coupled with computer-aided image analysis, can be an effective and convenient tool for personalized diagnosis and preventive medicine to improve the lives of women with cellulite problems.