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The Science of Photomedicine pp 441–473Cite as

Topical and Systemic Approaches to Protection of Human Skin against Harmful Effects of Solar Radiation

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Part of the book series: Photobiology ((PB))

Abstract

Why is photoprotection of importance to humans? We must be in the light; we cannot be forced to work or live in the dark. The sun is necessary to sustain all life on earth. We are warmed by its rays, and we are able to see with eyes that respond to that portion of the solar spectrum known as visible light. Our skin and blood vessels respond to the electromagnetic spectrum of the sun in the form of sunburn and tanning reactions. Many of our daily rhythms are dependent upon the sunlight. Natural sunlight has always been recognized for, and endowed with, health-giving powers. Yet excessive amounts of this life-supporting radiation can be very damaging to our skin. There are two concerns about the deleterious effects of sun exposure: (1) the acute effects (e.g., sunburn, phototoxicity), and (2) the potential long-term risk of repeated sun exposure, namely, the development of actinic changes (wrinkling, premature aging, irregular thickening and thinning of epidermis, hyper- and hypopigmentation), keratosis, and both nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancer (1–3).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    M. A. Pathak, T. B. Fitzpatrick & J. A. Parrish

Authors
  1. M. A. Pathak
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  2. T. B. Fitzpatrick
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  3. J. A. Parrish
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

    James D. Regan

  2. Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    John A. Parrish

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© 1982 Plenum Press, New York

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Pathak, M.A., Fitzpatrick, T.B., Parrish, J.A. (1982). Topical and Systemic Approaches to Protection of Human Skin against Harmful Effects of Solar Radiation. In: Regan, J.D., Parrish, J.A. (eds) The Science of Photomedicine. Photobiology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-8312-3_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-8312-3_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-8314-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-8312-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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