TEWL METERS
Skin TEWL Measurement Device – AquaFlux AF200
Biox Systems is a leading developer and manufacturer of research-grade scientific instruments for analysis of bio-tissues such as skin, hair, and nails. Started in 2000, the company has patented many of its technologies which make their instruments stand apart. This makes the instruments from Biox Systems the preferred choice for research related to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and medical products. One of their popular products is the AquaFlux—a skin TEWL measurement device.
The AquaFlux is versatile since it can measure the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) of skin, lips, hair, and nails. TEWL is also sometimes referred to as insensible water loss (IWL). Unlike many other instruments available in the market, the AquaFlux uses patented technology which makes it much more accurate.
The company was formed by a group of scientists who specialised in polarisation imaging and image processing. By forging collaborations with numerous leading cosmetics companies and government organizations, the team has been able to translate their expertise and experience into practically useful instruments. Despite a solid footprint across the globe, Bossa Nova Vision continues to focus on improving their existing systems and exploring new areas of application.
The list of offerings from Bossa Nova Vision instruments popular in the cosmetics industry are:
Salient Features Of AquaFlux
- Closed-chamber technology: The unique technology patented by Biox Systems ensures that the instrument is highly sensitive, while at the same time the measurements are independent of external temperature and contact pressure. There will be no variation in the measurements irrespective of the operator and location.
- High repeatability & reproducibility: With a patented condenser technology, the values obtained from the AquaFlux are highly repeatable and reproducible.
- Versatility: It can be applied for measuring the TEWL of skin, scalp, lips, and nails in in-vivo, in-vitro, and in-culture applications.
- Powerful software: Pre-packaged with the instrument is a software with powerful features for in-depth analysis of skin. These features are found to be useful by researchers. All new updates to the software are provided free of cost.
- Warranty: The AquaFlux comes with a 3-year international warranty for parts and labour.
How Does AquaFlux Measure TEWL?
The AquaFlux is similar to open-chamber instruments in that it also uses the stead-state diffusion gradient measurement principle. However, the major differentiating factor lies in its measuring chamber which is closed. This helps to eliminate disturbances caused by external air movements. The instrument is equipped with a patented condenser that continuously removes water vapour by converting it to ice. The condenser controls humidity in the chamber independently of ambient conditions.
Another unique aspect in the patented design of the AquaFlux is the wall-mounted RH&T sensors. In traditional instruments, these sensors are mounted centrally by means of thin wires. This will make them prone to contamination and misalignment.
The AquaFlux stands out even in terms of recovery time. In traditional instruments, this can sometimes exceed the measurement time, making it a cumbersome process. But with the AquaFlux, you can move from site to site without having to wait for recovery, and still get measurements with great accuracy.
Courage + Khazaka Tewameter Vs. Biox Systems AquaFlux
In theory, the Tewameter from Courage + Khazaka and AquaFlux from Biox Systems are used for measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL) of skin. But, the technology used inside these instruments vary greatly. While the Tewameter is an open-chamber instrument, the AquaFlux uses proprietary closed-chamber technology. In application, this means that the AquaFlux offers unrivalled performance in both in-vivo and in-vitro tests. Because of its patented technology, no other TEWL measurement device can come even close to the accuracy, sensitivity, repeatability, and reproducibility offered by the AquFlux.
The results from open-chamber instruments such as the Tewameter are reliable only in conditions with tight climate-control and perfectly still ambient air. At their best, the results from open-chamber TEWL instruments will correlate well with results condenser-chamber instruments.
An SLS patch-test study was conducted on 22 volunteers to compare the results of the Tewameter and AquaFlux. To know how the Tewameter fared against the AquaFlux, check out this detailed report.
Delfin Technologies VapoMeter Vs. Biox Systems AquaFlux
A closed-chamber TEWL measurement device does not necessarily guarantee performance. The VapoMeter from Delfin Technologies is another TEWL measurement device that works based on closed-chamber technology. A study was conducted to compare the repeatability of results between the VapoMeter and AquaFlux. In this experiment, a stable wet-cup flux source was used, and 200 repeat measurements were taken per instrument.
According to Gaussian statistics, the repeatability of AquaFlux was about 10 times better than the VapoMeter. This implies that a single value taken using the VapoMeter is equivalent to 100 VapoMeter repeat measurements.
To know more about the comparative study between the AquaFlux and the VapoMeter, you can go through the detailed report.
AquaFlux - Publications
The AquaFlux from Biox Systems has been mentioned in numerous scientific publications. You can check out all the publications in the Biox Publications Gallery.
AquaFlux Price
Agaram Industries is the exclusive distributor of Biox Systems in India. To get a quotation with the AquaFlux price, you can fill up this form or directly send an email to sales@agaramindia.com.
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