OCT study of skin optical clearing with preliminary laser ablation of epidermis

We report the results of the experimental study of optical immersion clearing of laboratory animals skin in vivo with preliminary laser ablation of epidermis. It is shown that the ablation of the skin surface leads to the local edema that reduces the optical detection depth immediately after the impact. However, the water evaporation from the damaged epidermis causes the optical clearing of skin, comparable with that caused by polyethylene glycol in intact skin. It is shown that the preliminary ablation of the skin surface before the application of immersion agent does not lead to significant increase of the optical detection depth as compared to the sole effect of ablation or immersion.