Patent ID: 8373859

Claim:
A method of generating a sub-surface skin image, comprising: at a system having a memory and one or more processor for processing and displaying images of skin: illuminating a subject with polarized light having a first polarization; setting an adjustable polarizer to a first setting to admit light having the first polarization onto a photodetector and otherwise reject light; with the adjustable polarizer in the first setting, using the photodetector to acquire a first image of the illuminated subject; setting the adjustable polarizer to a second setting to at least partially reject light having the first polarization and to at least partially admit light having polarization distinct from the first polarization onto the photodetector; with the adjustable polarizer in the second setting, using the photodetector to acquire a second image of the illuminated subject; and subtracting the first image from the second image to generate a third image of the subject.