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Phototoxicity, Photoirritation, and Photoallergy Detection and Assessment

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Agache’s Measuring the Skin

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Abstract

Photosensitization includes events triggered within the skin by the interaction of a chromophore (photosensitizer) and light. It may be apparent as an inflammatory reaction depending on UV light dose and chromophore concentration in the skin (phototoxicity) or as a specific immune reaction requiring a primary sensitization phase (photoallergy).

An in vivo testing could be necessary to identify the compound involved in a patient affected by an adverse reaction to the sun or to evaluate the photosensitizing potential of a drug. Photosensitization tests combine compound introducing into the skin and further skin irradiation using an artificial light source.

They are of three types: photopatch tests, photointradermal test, and systemic phototests. In photopatch tests, the compound is applied on the skin which eventually has been previously treated in order to increase penetration (abrasion of the horny layer or scarification). In photointradermal and photoprick test, the compound is intradermally injected in order to bypass the skin barrier. A prior measurement of the minimal erythema dose in UVB and UVA is necessary to help select the appropriate UV light doses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinique Universitaire de Dermato-Vénéréologie, Photobiologie et Allergologie, Pôle Pluridisciplinaire de Médecine, CHU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France

    Jean-Claude Beani

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  1. Jean-Claude Beani
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Correspondence to Jean-Claude Beani .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medecine Vasculaire Lab. Ingénierie et de Biologie Cutanées, CHU Besancon Service Dermatologie et, Besancon, France

    Philippe Humbert

  2. San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard Maibach

  3. Department of Dermatology, Saint Jacques University Hospital, Besançon, France

    Ferial Fanian

  4. Univ. Besançon Dépt. Dermatologie, Besançon, France

    Pierre Agache

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Beani, JC. (2016). Phototoxicity, Photoirritation, and Photoallergy Detection and Assessment. In: Humbert, P., Maibach, H., Fanian, F., Agache, P. (eds) Agache’s Measuring the Skin. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26594-0_137-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26594-0_137-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-26594-0

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