Patent Publication Number: US-2019167184-A1

Title: Device for measuring transepidermal water loss and skin care system using same

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a device for measuring and managing transepidermal water loss (TEWL). More particularly, the present invention relates to a transepidermal water loss measurement device and a skin care system using the same, the device and system being capable of automatically correcting measured rates of transepidermal water loss according to an inclination angle of a closed chamber at the time of measuring the transepidermal water loss, thereby preventing occurrence of a measurement error attributable to a pressure change in the closed chamber, and correcting the measured results at various inclination or measurement angles to improve the accuracy and reliability of the measured results. In addition, the device and system prevents a rapid change in the internal pressure of the closed chamber due to heat and vapor generated from the skin during the measurement of the transepidermal water loss, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the measured results. In addition, the device and system share the measured results so that skin barrier function can be effectively monitored and managed. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The skin is the outermost part of the human body and performs important functions such as prevention of intrusion of bacteria and harmful substances into the interior of the human body from outside, waterproofing, and temperature control. This function is called skin barrier function, and the rate of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is a representative index of the skin barrier function. 
     In the case where the skin barrier function is deteriorated, that is, when the rate of the transepidermal water loss is high, external allergens easily permeate into the skin and various skin diseases such as atopic symptoms occur. Therefore, strengthening and maintaining the skin barrier function is important especially for skin disease patients. The prevalence of atopy is high in newborns with a high rate of transepidermal water loss, and the prevalence can be halved by proper moisturizing control. 
     Stratum corneum hydration (SCH), which is the amount of water the skin is holding, is about 20 to 70%. On the other hand, the atmospheric air adjacent to the skin surface is lower in water content than the skin. Therefore, the water inside the stratum corneum (SC) evaporates and diffuses into the surrounding atmosphere. Conventionally, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was measured by placing an open chamber or a closed chamber on the skin and monitoring changes in the humidity in the chamber. In this regard, it is known that the measurement accuracy of the closed chamber is higher than that of the open chamber. Therefore, the closed chamber is currently dominantly utilized. As such, when a closed chamber is placed so as to cover a certain area of the skin, the skin moisture evaporates and diffuses into the atmospheric air existing in the closed chamber. At this time, an increase rate of the humidity in the chamber is measured to detect the transepidermal water loss. 
     However, conventional transepidermal water loss measurement methods have a problem that the reliability of measured results deteriorates because the internal pressure of the closed chamber fluctuates with external factors. 
     Specifically, since the body temperature or the skin temperature of a person is generally higher than the ambient atmospheric temperature, when a closed chamber is placed to cover a certain area of the skin in order to measure the transepidermal water loss, the internal temperature of the closed chamber is likely to rise. As the internal temperature of the closed chamber rises, a measurement environment accordingly changes. For example, the internal pressure of the closed chamber increases. As a result, the humidity and the transepidermal water loss measured at this time are likely to have a high error rate and poor accuracy. 
     In the past, there was an attempt to solve such a problem by training general users or skilled experts to properly use measurement devices. However, this training method was not convenient or effective for general users. Therefore, a more effective solution than the training method is required. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the problems described above and an objective of the present invention is to provide a transepidermal water loss measurement device and a skin care system using the same, the device and system being capable of automatically correcting measured results according to an inclination of the measurement device at the time of measuring a transepidermal water loss and of preventing a rapid change in internal pressure of a closed chamber by the skin temperature, thereby improving the measurement accuracy and the reliability of measured results. 
     Technical Solution 
     In order to accomplish the objective of the present invention, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transepidermal water loss measurement device including: a one-end closed cylindrical chamber having a closed end and an open end which comes into contact with a region of the skin; and a transepidermal water loss measurement unit that measures a transepidermal water loss of the skin by detecting a humidity and a humidity change inside the closed chamber. 
     The transepidermal water loss measurement unit detects the humidity and an inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber during measurement of the humidity and performs self-calibration to compensate for an error of measurements attributable to the inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber, thereby outputting corrected measurement results of the transepidermal water loss according to the inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber. 
     The closed chamber may be provided with a pressure-adjusting ventilation unit having a predetermined area (two-dimensional size) and thickness on an outer wall surface of the closed chamber to adjust a pressure gradient and a density gradient inside the closed chamber in accordance with a pressure difference and a density difference between an inside space and an outside space of the closed chamber. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a skin care system using a transepidermal water loss measurement device. The system includes a transepidermal water loss measurement device and at least one mobile communication device that receives transepidermal water loss information from the transepidermal water loss measurement device through a short-range wireless communication network and displays the transepidermal water loss information as a numerical value by executing an application program such that the user of the measurement device can recognize the transepidermal water loss information. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     As described above, the transepidermal water loss measurement device and the skin care system using the same, according to the present invention, automatically compensate for the errors in measurements according to an inclination angle at a specific point in time or an average inclination angle during the measurement of transepidermal water loss, thereby preventing the errors in the measurements, which are attributable to fluctuations in measurement conditions, and improving the measurement accuracy and the reliability of the measured results even at various inclination or measurement angles of the closed chamber. 
     In addition, it is possible to prevent a rapid change in the internal pressure of the closed chamber, which is primarily influenced by the skin temperature, during the measurement of the skin moisture, thereby improving the measurement accuracy and reliability of the measured results. 
     In addition, the transepidermal water loss measurement device and the user mobile communication device are configured to interwork with a management server to share accurate and reliable measurements and to effectively care for the skin according to the measured results. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a transepidermal water loss measurement device according to one embodiment of the present invention and the configuration of a skin care system using the transepidermal water loss measurement device; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the detailed configuration of the transepidermal water loss measurement device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the detailed configuration of a water content measurement unit of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a process of correcting the measured rate of water loss according to an inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber and of outputting the corrected rate of water loss. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a process of correcting a measured rate of water loss according to an inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber and of outputting the corrected rate of water loss. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are cross-sectional views illustrating the configuration of the transepidermal water loss measurement device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed when an application program is executed in a mobile communication device of the skin care system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a management server of the skin care system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a transepidermal water loss measurement device according to one embodiment of the present invention and the configuration of a skin care system using the transepidermal water loss measurement device. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the present invention, a transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  is of a closed cylindrical chamber type in which one end of a cylindrical chamber is open so as to come into contact with the skin at a position at which the transepidermal water loss is to be measured and the opposite end of the cylindrical chamber is closed. The rate of the transepidermal water loss is measured by detecting and analyzing the humidity inside the closed chamber and the amount of water evaporating from the skin surface being in contact with the open end of the closed chamber. 
     The water content (i.e., skin hydration) in the stratum corneum is about 20 to 70% and is higher than that of the atmospheric air adjacent to the skin surface. Therefore, the water contained in the stratum corneum evaporates and diffuses into the atmospheric air from the skin surface. Accordingly, when the open end of the closed-chamber of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  is placed on a part of the skin to measure the water loss from the skin surface, the moisture evaporates and diffuses into the air trapped in the closed-chamber of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100 . At this time, the increase rate of the humidity in the chamber is detected to measure the transepidermal water loss. 
     The transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  corrects the measured value of transepidermal water loss according to an inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber at the time of detecting the humidity and the amount of water evaporating from the skin surface, and outputs the corrected value. When a part of the skin is covered by the closed-chamber of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100 , a convection phenomenon occurs in which low density air containing a large amount of moisture heated by the skin temperature rises inside the closed chamber. Therefore, the error rates of the humidity and the transepidermal water loss that are measured increase with the inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber. In order to prevent such a measurement error, that is, in order to reduce an error rate, the inclination of the closed chamber is also measured during the measurement of the humidity and the amount of water evaporating from the skin surface, and the measured value of transepidermal water loss is corrected according to the inclination of the closed chamber. 
     When a part of the skin is covered by the closed-chamber of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100 , the internal temperature of the closed chamber increases due to the high skin temperature, resulting in an increase in the internal pressure of the closed chamber and a decrease in the air density in the closed chamber. In other words, since the skin temperature is higher than the ambient air temperature, when the closed chamber is placed to cover the skin, the internal temperature and the internal pressure of the closed chamber rise and the density inside the chamber decreases. According to the ideal gas law (called general gas equation, PV=nRT), when the internal temperature of the chamber increases, since the volume of the closed chamber is constant, the internal pressure of the chamber increases. As the internal pressure increases, the evaporation rate of water from the skin surface decreases. That is, since the measurement conditions such as the internal pressure at the time of measuring the water loss fluctuate with external factors, a measurement error is likely to occur. In order to prevent the occurrence of such a measurement error, at least a part of the outer wall surface of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  is provided with a pressure-adjusting ventilation unit having a predetermined area (two-dimensional size) and thickness. The pressure-adjusting ventilation unit adjusts the pressure gradient in the closed chamber according to a difference between the internal pressure and the external pressure of the closed chamber. 
     The opposite end (closed end) of the closed chamber of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  is provided with a water content measurement unit for measuring the water content in the skin surface (i.e., stratum corneum hydration (SCH)) and the water loss (i.e., the transepidermal water loss) from the skin surface. The water content measurement unit accurately measures the water content (SCH) and the water loss (transepidermal water loss) in a state in which a pressure difference and a density difference between the inside and the outside of the closed chamber are reduced. The measured rate of transepidermal water loss is transmitted as transmission data through a short-range or long-range wireless communication network so that the user can share and check information on the transepidermal water loss in the form of quantized data by using a mobile communication device such as a smart phone. Meanwhile, the data of the transepidermal water loss information can be managed by a management server so as to be shared by interested parties. The user can be provided with a user-specific skin caring method according to the measured transepidermal water loss and other related information through a mobile communication device such as a smart phone. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the detailed configuration of the transepidermal water loss measurement device of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  includes the cylindrical closed chamber  120 , the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130 , and the water content measurement unit  110 . The cylindrical closed chamber  120  has an open end to come into contact with a part of the skin to measure the water loss from the part of the skin, and a closed end. The pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  adjusts the pressure and density gradients inside the closed chamber  120  according to the differences in pressure and density between the inside and the outside of the closed chamber  120 . The water content measurement unit  110  detects the humidity in the closed chamber and measures the transepidermal water loss on the basis of information of the detected humidity. 
     The transepidermal water loss measurement unit  110  is provided at the closed end of the closed chamber  120 . The water content measurement unit  110  is provided in the closed chamber  120  and is configured to passes out through the closed end from the inside of the closed chamber  120 . 
     The transepidermal water loss measurement unit  110  measures and analyzes the transepidermal water loss by detecting the humidity and the changes in the humidity in the closed chamber  120  during the measurement of the transepidermal water loss. The transepidermal water loss measurement unit  110  performs self-calibration on the basis of the measured rates of transepidermal water loss according to the inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber at the time of detecting the humidity, converts the resulting water loss as data, and displays the data on a display unit. In addition, the transepidermal water loss measurement unit  110  transmits the data of the transepidermal water loss information corrected through the self-calibration to an external device through a wireless communication network so that the data of the transepidermal water loss information can be shared by interested parties. 
     The pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  is provided in a region of the wall of the closed chamber and is configured to have a predetermined area (two-dimensional size) and thickness. The pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  has a thin film shape having a thickness equal to or smaller than that of the wall of the closed chamber  120 . The pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  is provided with one or more ventilation holes  131  that are arranged regularly or irregularly and have an inner diameter that is 1/1000 times the total surface area of the closed chamber  120  or the total surface area of the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130 . 
     When the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  has a thin film shape and is provided with the multiple ventilation holes  131  having an inner diameter that is 1/1000 times the total surface area of the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130 , the pressure gradient and the density gradient in the closed chamber can be adjusted according to a pressure difference and a density difference between the inside and the outside of the closed chamber  120 . 
     Specifically, since the rate of increase in the partial pressure of water vapor resulting from water evaporation and the transfer rate of the pressure in the closed chamber  120  are faster than the vapor diffusion and convection caused by the high skin temperature, the air in the closed chamber  120  is exhausted through the ventilation holes  131 , resulting in a constant pressure being maintained in the closed chamber  120 . Assuming that the temperature rise during the measurement of transepidermal water loss is 1°, the volume increase and the pressure increase are each 0.33%. However, since the internal air is exhausted through the ventilation holes  131 , a constant internal pressure can be maintained in the closed chamber. In this regard, since the pressure in the closed chamber  120  is always higher than the atmospheric pressure, the air flows from the inside to the outside of the closed chamber. Therefore, when the size of the open end and the size of the ventilation hole  131  are known, the amount of water evaporated and diffused into the air from the skin surface can be calculated. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the detailed configuration of the water content measurement unit of  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the transepidermal water loss measurement unit  110  includes a water loss detection unit  114 , a measurement angle detection unit  113 , a calibration control unit  112 , a display unit  111 , and a communication unit  118 . 
     Specifically, the water loss detection unit  114  detects the humidity and a change in the humidity in the closed chamber  120  at fixed intervals of time during the measurement of the transepidermal water loss and analyzes the changes in the humidity, thereby measuring the rates of the transepidermal water loss. 
     To this end, the water loss detection unit  114  includes: a water content sensing unit  116  including at least one humidity sensor or at least one moisture sensor and being configured to detect the humidity in the closed chamber  120  at fixed intervals of time during the measurement of the transepidermal water loss, and a water loss analysis unit  115  that receives the detected humidity in real time and analyzes the levels of humidity and the humidity changes at fixed intervals of time to calculate the rates of transepidermal water loss and subsequently converts the rates of the transepidermal water loss into data. 
     The measurement angle detection unit  113  includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and a water droplet sensor capable of detecting an inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber. The measurement angle detection unit  113  detects the inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber  120  at fixed intervals of time during the detection of the humidity. The detected angle information is fed to the calibration control unit  112  that performs real-time calibration. 
     The measurement angle detection unit  113  measures the measurement angle by identifying the difference between the direction of the gravity and the axial direction of the closed chamber  120 . In this case, the measurement angle detected by the measurement angle detection unit  113  includes an initial measurement angle that is an angle measured at the beginning of the measurement, an intermediate measurement angle that is an angle measured in the middle of the measurement, a final measurement angle that is an angle measured at the end of the measurement, all intermediate measurement angles that are angles measured multiple times during the measurement, and an average measurement angle over a measurement period. 
     The calibration control unit  112  corrects the measured rate of transepidermal water loss by performing numerical correction on the transepidermal water loss data detected by the water loss detection unit  114  according to the measurement angle information detected by the measurement angle detection unit  113 . 
     The measurement angle information detected by the measurement angle detection unit  113  is at least any one of the initial measurement angle, the intermediate angle, the final measurement angle, all the intermediate measurement angles, and the average measurement angle. The calibration control unit  112  sets a predetermined threshold value corresponding to at least one of the initial measurement angle, the intermediate angle, the final measurement angle, all the intermediate measurement angles, and the average measurement angle, and add or subtracts the predetermined threshold value to or from the detected transepidermal water loss data, thereby correcting the numerical data of the transepidermal water loss. Here, the transepidermal water loss information which results from the numerical correction and the data conversion performed by the calibration control unit  112  is shared through the display unit  111  and the communication unit  118 . 
     The display unit  111  includes a segment LED, a display panel, a flat panel display module and the like, and outputs (i.e., displays) the numerical data of the transepidermal water loss that results from the numerical correction and the data conversion performed by the calibration control unit  112 . In addition, the display unit  111  displays the operation state of the calibration control unit  112 , the communication state of the communication section  118 , the power state, and the like. 
     The communication unit  118  transmits the transepidermal water loss information, which is data processed by the calibration control unit  112 , to an external device through a wireless communication technique such as WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. Therefore, the data of the transepidermal water loss information can be shared. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a process of correcting the measured rate of water loss according to an inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber and of outputting the corrected rate of water loss. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the calibration control unit  112  of the transepidermal water loss measurement unit  110  receives the data of the transepidermal water loss information resulting from the analysis of the humidity changes performed by the water loss detection unit  114 . The calibration control unit  112  receives angle information including at least one of the initial measurement angle, the intermediate angle, the final measurement angle, all the intermediate measurement angles, and the average measurement angle from the measurement angle detection unit  113 . 
     Thus, the calibration control unit  112  corrects the numerical data of the transepidermal water loss by setting a predetermined threshold value corresponding to at least piece of the angle information among the initial measurement angle, the intermediate angle, the final measurement angle, all the intermediate measurement angles, and the average measurement angle and adds or subtracts the predetermined threshold value to or from the data of the transepidermal water loss. Here, the transepidermal water loss information which has undergone the numerical correction and the data conversion performed by the calibration control unit  112  is transferred to the display unit  111  and the communication unit  118  so as to be shared by interested parties. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a process of correcting a measured rate of water loss according to an inclination or measurement angle of the closed chamber and outputting the corrected rate of water loss. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the calibration control unit  112  of the transepidermal water loss measurement unit  110  receives the data of the transepidermal water loss calculated through analysis of the humidity data from the water loss detection unit  114 , and the angular information including the initial measurement angle, the intermediate angle, the final measurement angle, all the intermediate measurement angles, and the average measurement angle from the measurement angle detection unit  113 . 
     Next, the calibration control unit  112  determines whether or not the closed chamber is moved by a predetermined reference angle or more during the measurement. When it is determined that the closed chamber is moved by the predetermined reference angle or more during the measurement, the user enters a command input to request repeating analysis of the humidity change, thereby measuring again the transepidermal water loss, the initial measurement angle, the intermediate angle, the final measurement angle, all the intermediate measurement angles, and the average measurement angle. 
     Conversely, when it is determined that the closed chamber is moved by less than the predetermined reference angle during the measurement, a predetermined threshold value corresponding to at least one (for example, the average measurement angle during the measurement period) of the initial measurement angle, the intermediate angle, the final measurement angle, all the intermediate measurement angles, and the average measurement angle is set and is added to or subtracted from the data of the transepidermal water loss. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the transepidermal water loss measurement device of  FIG. 1 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , at least a portion of the wall of the closed chamber of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  is provided with the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130 . The pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  may vary in size or thickness. 
     For example, the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  has a thin film shape that is thinner than the wall of the closed chamber  120 . Preferably, the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  is a ventilating functional thin film  133  that allows the air to pass, thereby relieving the internal pressure in the closed chamber but does not allow the vapor to pass. 
     When the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  is implemented as the ventilating functional thin film  133  that allows the outflow of the internal air so that the internal pressure can be relieved but blocks the vapor, the pressure gradient and the density gradient can be adjusted according to the pressure difference and the density difference between the inside and the outside of the closed chamber  120 . 
     Specifically, as described above, since the rate of increase in the partial pressure of the water vapor due to water evaporation from the skin surface and the transfer rate of the pressure in the closed chamber  120  are faster than the vapor diffusion and convection caused by the high skin temperature in the closed chamber  120 , the air in the closed chamber  120  can be released into the atmosphere from the closed chamber  120  through the ventilating functional thin film  133 . Therefore, the inside of the closed chamber  120  can be maintained at a constant pressure. Assuming that the temperature rise during the measurement of the transepidermal water loss is 1°, the volume increase and the pressure increase are each 0.33%. However, since the internal air is exhausted through the ventilating functional thin film  133 , the inside of the closed chamber can be maintained at a constant pressure. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the transepidermal water loss measurement device of  FIG. 1 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , at least a portion of the wall of the closed chamber of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  is provided with the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130 . The pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  may vary in size or thickness. 
     For example, the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  is formed as a thin film thinner than the wall of the closed chamber  120 , and is formed of a flexible thin film made from a flexible material such as silicone, rubber, or poly-series synthetic fiber. 
     When the pressure-adjusting ventilation unit  130  is implemented as a thin film made from a flexible material such as silicone, rubber, or poly-series synthetic fiber, the flexible thin film is stretched due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the closed chamber  120 . Therefore, the density and the pressure in the closed chamber  120  are reduced and the pressure gradient and the density gradient in the closed chamber can be adjusted. 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed on the display unit of the mobile communication device when an application program is executed in the mobile communication device of the skin care system of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  8 , the mobile communication device  200  performs real-time short-range wireless communication with at least one transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  located adjacent to the mobile communication device  200 , thereby receiving data of transepidermal water loss information in real time from at least one of the transepidermal water loss measurement devices  100 . 
     The mobile communication device  200  provided with the data of the transepidermal water loss information numerically presents the data of the transepidermal water loss information using an application program executed therein to the user so that the user can recognize the transepidermal water loss information. 
     In addition, the mobile communication device may display information of the ambient temperature and the humidity during the measurement of the transepidermal water loss using the application program executed therein, receive a user-specific skin caring method and the related information according to the data of the transepidermal water loss information from the management server  300 , and displays the received skin caring method and the related information. 
       FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the management server of the skin care system of  FIG. 1 . 
     The management server  300  illustrated in  FIG. 9  supports an application program that is executed in at least one mobile communication device  200  and provides information on option settings to the transepidermal water loss management device  100  and the mobile communication device  200  when the application program is executed. The management server  300  includes a notification information processing unit  310  and a database unit  320 . The notification information processing unit  310  transmits the transepidermal water loss information to a certain registered mobile communication device  200  when receiving the transepidermal water loss information from a mobile communication device  200  that is different from the former mobile communication device  200 . The database unit  320  stores personal information of each of the mobile communication devices  200  that are registered in association with unique numbers of the respective transepidermal water loss measurement devices  100  so that the personal information can be accessed and shared by the interested parties. The database unit  320  also manages personal information of registered caregivers via the application program executed in the mobile communication device. 
     The notification information processing unit  310  includes a wireless communication unit  311 , an application program supporting unit  312 , a notification control unit  313 , and an option setting supporting unit  314 . 
     The database unit  320  stores an application program information DB  321  to be provided to the application program supporting unit  312  to support the application program, a determination result information DB  322  storing the transepidermal water loss information in real time transmitted from a certain mobile communication device  200  and providing the transepidermal water loss information to the notification control unit  313 , an option setting information DB  323  supporting option setting of the transepidermal water loss measurement device  100  and the mobile communication device  200 , and a caregiver information DB  324  that stores and provides personal information of the owners of the mobile communication devices  200 , which are registered in association with the unique numbers of the transepidermal water loss measurement devices  100 , in association with the unique numbers of the transepidermal water loss measurement devices  100 . 
     More specifically, the wireless communication unit  311  of the notification information processing unit  310  performs wireless communication based on long-range wireless Internet communication technology with at least one mobile communication device  200 . The application program supporting unit  312  supports the application program executed in at least one mobile communication device  200  on the basis of the application program information DB  321 . 
     Meanwhile, the notification control unit  313  stores the personal information of the mobile communication devices  200  corresponding to the respective transepidermal water loss measurement devices  100  in association with the unique numbers of the transepidermal water loss measurement devices  100 . Since the personal information of the caregivers registered through the application program is managed, when the transepidermal water loss information is received from any of the mobile communication devices  200 , the received transepidermal water loss information is transmitted to at least one mobile communication device of another registered caregiver so as to be shared. 
     Accordingly, at least one caregiver at a remote location, who is provided with the transepidermal water loss information from the management server  300 , can share the transepidermal water loss information of the user of the transepidermal water loss measurement device in real time. 
     As described above, the transepidermal water loss measurement device and the skin care system using the same can automatically correct measured values of transepidermal water loss according to an inclination at a specific time point within the measurement period or an average gradient over the measurement period and prevent a rapid change in measurement conditions such as the internal temperature and the density in the closed chamber, thereby improving the measurement accuracy and the reliability of the measured results of transepidermal water loss. 
     In addition, the transepidermal water loss measurement device and the user mobile communication device are configured to interwork with the management server to share accurate and reliable measurements (measured rates of water loss) and to effectively give information on skin care according to the measured results. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments but rather various changes and modifications to the exemplary embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.