Abstract: Skin cholesterol is measured by applying an adhesive tape onto a selected area of the skin to adhere the tape to the selected skin area and stripping the tape off the selected skin area to obtain a sample representative of the outer stratum corneum layer of the skin, the sample adhering to the tape so as to have exposed skin constituents. The sample is assayed using a detector reagent that specifically binds to cholesterol and in addition has an indicator component that allows quantitation of the amount of cholesterol present in the exposed skin constituents.

Abstract: Skin cholesterol is measured by applying an adhesive tape onto a selected area of the skin to adhere the tape to the selected skin area and stripping the tape off the selected skin area to obtain a sample representative of the outer stratum corneum layer of the skin, the sample adhering to the tape so as to have exposed skin constituents. The sample is assayed using a detector reagent that specifically binds to cholesterol and in addition has an indicator component that allows quantitation of the amount of cholesterol present in the exposed skin constituents.

Abstract: A multilayer analytical element for determining a level of an analyte on a substrate and adapted for use with hydrogen peroxide and an affinity-enzymatic compound of formula A-C-B, wherein A is a detecting agent having affinity for the analyte, B is an enzymatic visualizing agent consisting of peroxidase and C is a binding agent linking the detecting and visualizing agents together. The multilayer analytical element of the invention comprises a solid support and a hydrophilic layer thereon, the hydrophilic layer being formed of gelatin, polyvinyl alcohol or a mixture thereof and containing a developing agent and a hydrophobic color-producing agent in a total amount of 5 to 30 weight %, the developing agent and the color-producing agent being present in a weight ratio of 1:0.3 to 1:3.0.