Luminescence, induced by UV-irradiation, of intact human skin

UV-C induced chemiluminescence of human skin was investigated in vivo by means of an image-producing system using photon-counting camera and computer PERICOLOR-1000. Luminescence after UV-C application is shown to decline nonexponentially, the parameters of the decline depending on irradiation dose, skin specimen and previous irradiations. If the same skin specimen is irradiated second time 3-36 hours after the first irradiation, the luminescence decline time increases from one-two minutes to more than half an hour. During the time when the decline is slow the images produced by irradiation through the diaphragm do not sustain distinct contours due to the luminescence of nonirradiated skin. The luminescence is shown to be under the organisms' control and to diminish significantly after the application of acetylsalicylic acid.