Photodermatology: progress, problems and prospects

Photodermatology is a sub-specialty of photobiology. As such it includes al l aspects of photobiology related to the skin ranging from sun exposure and its consequences (both short term and long term) to the therapeutic effect s derived from exposure to natural or artificial radiation. in this review the terms photodermatology and photomedicine are used in a somewhat interch angeable fashion, although the former is really a portion of the latter. Fo ur international journals are the primary sources for information - Photoch emistry & Photobiology; Journal of Photochemistry & Photobiology (pt B); Ph otodermatology, Photomedicine & Photoimmunology; Journal of Investigative D ermatology. This review is structured so as to report on recent progress, e xisting problem areas and prospects for advances in the near future.