Effect of UV irradiation on cutaneous cicatrices : A randomized, controlled trial with clinical, skin reflectance, histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical evaluations

• Published in: Acta dermato-venereologica Vol. 87; no. 1; pp. 27 - 32
• Main Authors: DUE, Eva, ROSSEN, Kristian, SORENSEN, Lars Tue, KLIEM, Anette, KARLSMARK, Tonny, HAEDERSDAL, Merete
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Uppsala Acta dermato-venereologica 2007
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cicatrix - pathology; Cicatrix - physiopathology; Dermatology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Skin - pathology; Skin - physiopathology; Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects; Wound Healing; Immunohistochemistry; Evaluation; wound healing; Dermatology; Scar; cicatrix; hydroxyproline; PINP; skin reflectance; ultraviolet radiation; Biochemistry; Histology; Wound; Anatomic pathology; Randomization; Ultraviolet radiation; Healing agent; Irradiation; Clinical trial; Skin; Cicatrization
• ISSN: 0001-5555; 1651-2057
• DOI: 10.2340/00015555-0154

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on human cutaneous cicatrices. In this randomized, controlled study, dermal punch biopsy wounds served as a wound healing model. Wounds healed by primary or second intention and were randomized to postoperative solar UV irradiation or to no UV exposure. Evaluations after 5 and 12 weeks included blinded clinical assessments, skin reflectance measurements, histology, immunohistochemistry, and biochemical analyses of the N-terminal propeptide from procollagen-1, hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine, and proline. Twelve weeks postoperatively, UV-irradiated cicatrices healing by second intention: (i) were significantly pointed out as the most disfiguring; (ii) obtained significantly higher scores of colour, infiltration and cicatrix area; and (iii) showed significantly higher increase in skin-reflectance measurements of skin-pigmentation vs. non-irradiated cicatrices. No histological, immunohistochemical or biochemical differences were found. In conclusion, postoperative UV exposure aggravates the clinical appearance of cicatrices in humans.