Skin responses to micro scale field size of solar-simulated radiation--preliminary evaluation by reflectance confocal microscopy in vivo.

ABSTRACT

Erythema and pigment responses of human skin following an acute exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are frequently used to determine the photosensitivity of the skin. In this study we investigated the responses of the skin to a micro-scale area of UVR exposure (MiR) and compared the responses to a macro-scale area of exposure (MaR). Ten human volunteers were tested with solar-simulated radiation on their upper arm or back using a beam size of 8 mm and 0.2 mm in diameter. The fluence required to produce a minimally perceptible erythema (MED) using the MiR was found to be higher than that for the MaR. The erythema response extended beyond the exposed area and this became pronounced when the beam size was microscopic. Reflectance confocal microscopy in vivo revealed that MiR induced cellular alterations within a confined area of smaller dimensions than the area of exposure. Pigment responses were confined within the areas of cellular damage. The erythema expression of exposed skin recovered faster for the sites receiving MiR even when the applied fluence was higher than the MED for the MaR. Through the use of MiR we were able to visualize spatially dissimilar skin responses of erythema and pigmentation suggesting different cellular mechanisms.