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"Moreover, current techniques provide a qualitative assessment of the state of the matrix, but no precise measure of the collagen or of the elastin content, which is what the new technique does," Koehler said.With the new technique, the doctors shine ultra-brief pulses of laser infrared light that go to the dermis without damaging the first skin layer. The pulses of light then stimulate the skin tissues in the dermis to emit light back. Collagen emits blue light and elastin green, allowing the researchers to measure the relative amounts of each.