A novel approach provides an innovative solution to overcoming two major challenges in delivering medicinal and cosmetic remedies through the skin. Combining techniques in nanotechnology and optics, researchers produced tiny (nanometric) diamond particles so small that they are capable of penetrating skin to deliver these remedies. Next, they created a safe, laser-based optical method that quantifies nanodiamond penetration into the various layers of the skin and determines their location and concentration within body tissue in a non-invasive manner — eliminating the need for a biopsy.