Response of human skin to ultraviolet radiation: dissociation of erythema and metabolic changes following sunscreen protection.

After UV irradiation of human skin there is an increase in epidermal and stratum corneum thickness and an increase in the thymidine autoradiographic labeling index. Previously we have demonstrated that persistent exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) alters the distribution and activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) within the epidermis; G-6-PDH activity is increased over the whole epidermis and SDH activity is diminished in the granular cell area but increased in the basal layer. When skin is protected by an efficient sunscreen and irradiated with UVB, there is almost complete inhibition of the erythema normally seen following UVR exposure. In this study we have investigated the cytochemical, cell kinetic, and histometric changes that take place in the epidermis after UVB irradiation, with and without two different types of sunscreen. Some of the histometric and metabolic changes associated with UVB exposure were still evident despite sunscreen protection and the successful blocking of the erythema response. The implications of these findings are discussed together with the use of sunscreens to prevent development of solar damage.