[PUVA therapy: long-term degenerative effects. I. Histological changes observed after PUVA therapy]

The authors studied PUVA induced histological alterations in a group of 7 patients compared with 6 control subjects of same age. The epidermal alterations were unprominent: a few necrotic keratinocytes and hyperpigmentation of basal layer melanocytes with a lentiginous pattern. Basement PAS positive membrane was in some cases desestructured, but this was reversible. In the papillary dermis there was homogenization and partial or total destruction of orceinophilic vertical fibers, these phenomena were also reversible. PUVA therapy induced aging of the skin which is dose related and depends also of the patients age. No phenomena of precancerous dysplasia were observed.