Premium
The suitability of SunCheck® patches and Tanscan® cards for monitoring the sunburning effectiveness of sunlight
Author(s) -
MOSELEY H.,
MACKIE R.M.,
FERGUSON J.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1993.tb00151.x
Subject(s) - sunlight , monochromatic color , wavelength , sun exposure , radiation , environmental science , sensitivity (control systems) , ultraviolet radiation , sun protection , skin cancer , optics , materials science , optoelectronics , toxicology , remote sensing , medicine , chemistry , dermatology , physics , radiochemistry , biology , cancer , geography , electronic engineering , engineering
Summary UV‐sensitive products which undergo a colour change on exposure to UV radiation are available for use by the general public. We have evaluated SunCheck® patches of various sensitivities, and Tanscan® UV sensor cards, in terms of their temperature stability, wavelength response and response to sunlight. The products exhibited no perceptible colour change when the temperature was maintained at 45°C for 4 hours; on exposure to monochromatic radiation, the sensitivity peaked at a wavelength of 335 and 355 nm for SunCheck® and Tanscan®, respectively; the response to sunlight under clear conditions was reasonably consistent, with the coefficient of variation for each type of material ranging between 12.5 and 27%. These products are based on the incorrect concept that there is a ‘safe’ dose of UV radiation. Thus, they cannot be recommended to the public as a reliable way of reducing the risk of skin cancer.