Patent ID: 7425427

Claim:
A method for preparing a corneocytes specimen, comprising: preparing a sample containing corneocytes stripped off from a skin surface using an adhesive material; staining the sample in a stain solution for 1-5 minutes, said stain solution comprising a water-miscible organic solvent to prepare the corneocytes specimen for determining or measuring size of a horny cell by automatic computation, presence or absence of a nuclear cell, frequency of nuclear cell appearance, arrangement regularity of corneocytes, shape of a horny cell, and roughness of a surface of keratinized layer, wherein the solution includes, as the stain, gentian violet of 2-4% by weight and brilliant green of 0.8-1.5% by weight, and the water-miscible organic solvent of 3-55% by weight; and mounting the stained sample onto an oil and fat constituent and/or composition which is liquid at 1 atm, 25° C.