Extracts from the Lectures of the 32nd Nordic Congress of Dermato-Venereology, Tampere, Finland
Photodermatology
Photodermatology Session Topics
Dr Amra Osmancevic, Gothenburg, Sweden: An Update on Vitamin
D. A general review of the accumulating knowledge of vitamin
D was given. Vitamin D insuf?ciency is common especially
at higher latitudes. However, there is no consensus on the
optimal level of serum calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) which
is the best indicator of vitamin D status. Individual variation
in vitamin D concentrations may be genetic in origin. A
non-linear response between vitamin D intake and calcidiol
concentration has also been observed. Calcidiol screening
should be focused on subjects at high risk of vitamin D insuf?ciency, such as persons > 70 years of age, people with limited
sun exposure, dark skin, fat malabsorption, and obesity. Solar
UVB is the major source of vitamin D for most people, but
photoprotection is necessary to prevent photodamage and
skin cancer. About 30 min solar exposure at noon suf?ces for
optimal vitamin D status.
From left: Meri Ala-Houhala, Leena Koulu, Riikka Pastila, Amra Osmancevic, Erna Snellman, Katja Vähävihu.
are not yet properly assessed. Nano-sized TiO2 and ZnO do
not penetrate stratum corneum. Human mind is the problem,
photosensitive subjects want a tan. Sun holidays are sunburn
holidays. Sunscreens are misused. Further campaigns to prevent sunburn are urgently needed.
1
Photobiologist Riikka Pastila, Helsinki, Finland: Sunbeds: What’s
in There? Rikka Pastila clari?ed the drawbacks of cosmetic
sunbed UVA exposures which provide a tan, but offer minimal
protection from subsequent UV exposures. The International
Agency for Research on Cancer has classi?ed arti?cial UV
tanning devices as carcinogenic to humans on the basis of
meta-analysis showing a 75% increased risk of melanoma when
the ?rst indoor tanning exposure occurred under the age of 35
years. Adolescence and early adulthood seem to be the most
sensitive periods for UV drawbacks. Interestingly, frequent
tanning behaviour exhibits signs of psychological and physiological dependence. The suggested mediator is beta-endorphin,
cleaved together with melanocyte stimulating hormone from
pro-opiomelanocortin, in keratinocytes. Many countries have
forbidden, or aim to forbid, the sunbed use from the minors.
Dr Tapio Rantanen, Tampere, Finland: Update on Skin Photoprotection. Tapio Rantanen focused on photoprotection and for
motivation, he showed ?gures of increasing incidence rates
of melanoma from the Nordic Cancer Registries. Sunburn
avoidance and photoprotection are the only ways of primary
prevention. Rantanen recommended to observe ????UX?%?????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????)???T??????????????????????????9?????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????)M???????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????Q???????????????????????A??????????)????????????5??????????????????????????????????((???()9??????????Y?????????????
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