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Sunscreens

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Sunlight, Vitamin D and Skin Cancer

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 624))

Abstract

Naturally occurring ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun has been divided into two broad band regions: low-energy UVA (with wavelengths of 320 to 400 nm) and high-energy UVB (280–320 nm). Relative effectiveness of different wavelengths in producing a biologic reaction is called action spectrum for this particular reaction. The most obvious acute reaction of white skin to UVR is erythema which is commonly addressed to as “sunburn”. The action spectrum of solar erythema lies mainly in the UVB band region, with a peak at 295 nm and rapid decline towards the UVA region (Fig. 1): 295 nm UVB radiation (UVBR) is about 1000 times more erythemogenic than short-wave UVAR. Under normal conditions, middle and long-wave UVAR do not induce sunburn. UVAR has therefore been further broken down into two bands UVA1 (340–400 nm) and UVA2 (320–340 nm) because of the increased erythemogenic activity of UVA2 compared to UVA1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology Hôtel-Dieu, Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital, Boulevard Léon Malfreyt, 63058, Clermont-Ferrand cedex 1, France

    Guido Bens

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  1. Guido Bens
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  1. Clinic for Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, The Saarland University Hospital, Homburg/Saar, Germany

    Jörg Reichrath

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Bens, G. (2008). Sunscreens. In: Reichrath, J. (eds) Sunlight, Vitamin D and Skin Cancer. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 624. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77574-6_12

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