Skin Carotenoids
Skin Carotenoids: What They Are and Why We Measure Them
Key Facts
- What they are
- Antioxidant pigments from fruits & vegetables
- Where measured
- Skin surface, commonly the palm
- Method
- Non-invasive, light-based scanning
- Primary driver
- Diet — sustained intake of carotenoid-rich foods
What Are Skin Carotenoids?
Carotenoids are a family of naturally occurring pigments found in many fruits, vegetables, and some animal products. When consumed through diet, certain carotenoids accumulate in skin tissue. This subset — skin carotenoids — can be measured directly at the skin's surface, which is why they've become a practical way to estimate antioxidant-related nutrient status without a blood draw.
What Is a Skin Carotenoid Score?
A skin carotenoid score is a numeric summary of the carotenoid concentration detected during a scan. It reflects your carotenoid status at the time of measurement and is generally more useful when tracked over multiple scans than read as a single, isolated figure. The specific scoring scale Prysm iO uses[VERIFY] is covered on the Prysm Score page.
How Are Skin Carotenoids Measured?
Measurement typically uses light-based scanning technology placed briefly against the skin. Published research in this space has used methods such as resonance Raman spectroscopy to estimate carotenoid concentration non-invasively. Prysm iO, for example, uses this kind of patent-pending Spectral Rai™ technology, taking 700,000+ measurements from a 15-second fingertip scan — see its dedicated page for full detail.
What Foods Are High in Carotenoids?
Deeply orange, red, and yellow fruits and vegetables — carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, mango, apricot, red pepper, and tomato — are typically rich in carotenoids. Dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale also contain significant carotenoids, even though their color is dominated by chlorophyll. Eating a consistent variety of these foods, rather than a single "superfood," is generally the more effective approach.
Can Diet Change Your Skin Carotenoid Score?
Yes — diet is the primary lever. Because carotenoids are obtained from food and accumulate gradually in skin tissue, consistent intake of carotenoid-rich foods over weeks is what tends to move a score, rather than any single meal or short-term change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods are high in carotenoids?
Carotenoid-rich foods include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, tomatoes, red peppers, and leafy greens like spinach and kale (where carotenoids are present but visually masked by chlorophyll). Regularly eating a variety of these foods is the main way to influence carotenoid levels through diet.
What is a carotenoid scanner?
A carotenoid scanner is a device that uses light-based technology to estimate carotenoid concentration in the skin, without drawing blood. It provides a non-invasive proxy measurement rather than a direct chemical analysis.
Is skin carotenoid measurement invasive?
No. Skin carotenoid measurement is non-invasive — it typically involves briefly placing a small sensor against the skin (commonly the palm) and does not require a blood draw or sample collection.
Can skin carotenoid levels change quickly?
Generally no. Skin carotenoid levels reflect accumulated dietary intake over time, so meaningful changes tend to happen gradually with sustained changes in diet rather than after a single meal.
References
- Ermakov IV, Sharifzadeh M, Ermakova MR, Gellermann W (2005), "Resonance Raman detection of carotenoid antioxidants in living human tissue," Journal of Biomedical Optics 10(6):064028
- Mayne ST et al. (2010), "Noninvasive assessment of dermal carotenoids as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 92(4):794–800
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements — "Vitamin A and Carotenoids" Consumer Fact Sheet
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