UVA, in high-dose single exposures, can, like UVB, be deleterious to skin. Dermal damage resulting from chronic exposure to UVA has not been studied. To investigate the long-term effects, we irradiated albino hairless mice for 30-34 weeks with UVA radiation, alone, from two sources with differing spectral qualities, and in combination with UVB as solar-simulating radiation. The results were compared to UVB alone. Like UVB, the UVA waveband, especially that with a spectral distribution similar to solar UVA, caused elastic fiber damage, increased glycosaminoglycan levels, and produced hypertrophy of deep dermal tissues. There were, however, striking differences between UVB- and UVA-irradiated skin. A combination of UVA and UVB summated the effects of both wavebands. Substantial protection against these effects was afforded by a broad-spectrum sunscreen.

To assess the ability of sunscreens to protect connective tissue from actinic damage, hairless mice were irradiated with Westinghouse FS20 sunlamps thrice weekly for 30 weeks. Each exposure, consisting mainly of UV-B and the less energetic UV-A, was approximately 6 human minimal erythema doses under these lights. One group of animals received irradiation only. The other 2 groups were treated, prior to irradiation, with sunscreens of either low or high sun protection factors (SPF 2 and SPF 15, respectively). Skin biopsies were taken at 10-week intervals and were stained with various histochemical stains to reveal changes in the dermis. The unprotected, irradiated animals showed a great increase in the following: reticulin fibers, elastic fibers to the extent of elastosis, neutral and acid mucopolysaccharides and melanin production. The SPF 15 sunscreen completely prevented these changes. The SPF 2 sunscreen was less effective. These effects were substantiated by ultrastructural examination of the tissues by electron microscopy. A surprising histologic finding was the repair capability of the dermis in the post-irradiation period.

No abstract

Infants wearing breathable disposable diapers experienced significantly less diaper dermatitis (DD) compared to infants wearing standard, nonbreathable disposable diapers in a series of double-blind clinical trials. Severe DD, including confirmed infection with Candida albicans, was reduced by 38-50% among infants wearing highly breathable (HB) diapers. The prevalence of DD was inversely related to the breathability of the garments. The inhibitory effect of breathable diapers on the survival of Candida was further confirmed in controlled experiments with adult volunteers. A suspension of C. albicans cells was applied to delineated sites on the volar forearm. Each site was then covered by a full-thickness patch from either an HB or a standard diaper. Survival of Candida colonies was reduced by almost two-thirds in the breathable diaper-covered sites compared to the control sites.