Short- and long-term effects of UV radiation on the pigmentation of human skin

Abstract

The incidence of skin cancer, including cutaneous melanoma, has risen substantially in recent years, and epidemiological and laboratory studies show that UV radiation is a major causative factor of this increase. UV damage also underlies photoaging of the skin, and these deleterious effects of UV can be, in part, prevented in skin with higher levels of constitutive pigmentation. We review the clinical studies we have made in recent years regarding the rapid and the long-term responses of the pigmentary system in human skin to UV exposure.Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings (2009) 14, 32-35; doi:10.1038/jidsymp.2009.10.

Figure 1

Examples of phases of increased pigmentation in human skin following UV exposure. (A) subject T35; top left: control unirradiated skin prior to UV exposure; bottom left: IPD, 5 min after UV exposure; top right: PPD, 1 week after UV exposure; bottom right: DP, 4+ weeks after UV exposure; (B) subject S91; top left: control unirradiated skin; bottom left: 1 day after MED exposure; top right: PPD, 8 days after UV; bottom right: LLP, 1.5 years after UV exposure.