Detecting Electroporation by Assessing the Time Constants in the Exponential Response of Human Skin to Voltage Controlled Impulse Electrical Stimulation

We propose a new method for extracting the electrical properties of human skin based on the time constant analysis of its exponential response to impulse stimulation.As a result of this analysis an adjacent finding has arisen. We have found that stratum corneum electroporation can be detected using this analysis method. We have observed that a one time-constant model is appropriate for describing the electrical properties of human skin at low amplitude applied voltages (30V), and a two time-constant model best describes skin electrical properties at higher amplitude applied voltages (30V). Higher voltage amplitudes (30V) have been proven to create pores in the skins stratum corneum which offer a new, lower resistance, pathway for the passage of current through the skin.Our data shows that when pores are formed in the stratum corneum they can be detected, in-vivo, due to the fact that a second time constant describes current flow through them.