Photoaging under recreational sunbeds.

Background: Artificial sources of restricted light wavelength, particularly tanning beds, are progressively gaining importance in photoaging.

Objective: To assess the kinetics and the long-term evolution of skin pigmentation and tensile functions in sunbed worshippers over a period of 8 years.

Methods: Photoaging was explored in women who were both sunshine and sunbed worshippers. A series of 65 phototype III women aged 31-46 years completed a 100-month survey. Quarterly assessments were performed on the forearms to measure (a) the skin color individual typology angle (ITA°), (b) the extent in mottled subclinical melanoderma (MSM) using the ultraviolet light-enhanced visualization method and (c) the rheological properties of skin.

Results: A progressive increase in both skin extensibility and hysteresis was observed, contrasting with a decrease in biologic elasticity. These rheological changes were correlated with the ITA° changes, but not with the MSM extent. The kinetics of evolution of each test variable were distinct over time.

Discussion: This work is the first attempt at evaluating the kinetics of changes in physical parameters during a long period of frequent exposures to tanning sunbeds and sunshine for lifestyle purposes. The alterations were quite important in the color, MSM and rheological functions of the skin.