Advances in Photodermatology

It is a fascinating and dynamic time for photodermatologists! There have been major advances in knowledge and techniques in recent years, with the promise of more yet to come. In this age of technological advances Photodermatology is ideally placed to flourish and the emphasis must continue to be on robust high quality research to inform the introduction of innovation and change in clinical practice.

With such broad subject matter it would be impossible to cover all recent advances in Photodermatology. Instead, we have chosen to focus on key publications arising in recent years, in three broad subject areas – Photosensitivity Diseases and Photodiagnostics, Therapeutics and Public Health. Within the area of photosensitivity diseases we consider new literature relating to our understanding of the presentation and pathogenesis of specific photosensitivity diseases, the evolving area of photoactive drug safety and innovative photodiagnostic techniques. We will review methods of delivery of the light-based therapies and discuss recent advances in the ultraviolet (UV) photo(chemo)therapies and Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). Finally we will present important recent developments in public health issues, notably the diverse impact of sunlight and UV radiation on health. We have excluded laser therapy in this review, as this topic is too vast to cover here. Specialist text can be sourced by the reader if they wish to increase their knowledge further in this area.