Intended for healthcare professionals
Ethnic dermatology

Photoprotection for ethnic skin

Camille Fitoussi

MD Consultant Dermatologist Rue Alexandre Dumas, Paris, France

Photoprotection is the term widely used to describe protection against the harmful effects of UV radiation on the skin. Ethnic skin is commonly thought to be naturally photoprotected; however, this is not always entirely correct as there are several factors to take into account, e.g., the complexion of the individual, loss of pigmentation due to lack of sun exposure and cosmetic skin lightening. 

 

Ultraviolet radiation
During sunlight exposure, the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UV) rays, UVB and UVA, with the dangerous UVC being blocked by the atmospheric layer.

UVB (280–315nm; 2%) is very energetic but only reaches the superficial layers of the skin, contributing to immediate inflammation, sunburn and solar erythema, which are rare and little visible on coloured skin, and also have a mutagenic effect.

Dermatology in practice 2018; 24(3): 84–86
To continue reading this article, please sign in or register.

Dermatology in practice was previously supported by Wyeth from 2008 to 2010, by Wyeth and Serono in 2007, by Wyeth and Shire from 2005 to 2006, by Medlock Medical in 2004 and by SSL International from 2001 to 2003.

The data, opinions and statements appearing in the articles herein are those of the contributor(s) concerned; they are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher, Editor or Editorial Board. Accordingly the publisher, Editor and Editorial Board and their respective employees, officers and agents accept no liability for the consequences of any such inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or statement.

The title Dermatology in practice is the property of Hayward Medical Publishing and PMGroup Worldwide Ltd and, together with the content, is bound by copyright. Copyright © 2021 PMGroup Worldwide Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained on the site may not be reproduced, distributed or published, in whole or in part, in any form without the permission of the publishers. All correspondence should be addressed to:

ISSN 0262-5504 (Print) ISSN 2049-8446 (Online)