Solar and Radiant Damage to Elastic Tissue as a Cause of Internal Vascular Disease

Evidence is accumulating that actinic radiation grievously damages the elastic tissue membranes that give essential support to blood vessels within under the skin and that this injury may in turn act through the blood to incite a corresponding injury to the elastic tissue of major internal vessels. If this connection be confirmed, it means: (1) The hazards of solar and radiant exposure are even greater than hitherto suspected (2) Although most sunscreens protect the surface epithelium against cancer inducing radiation, persisting doubts about whether they also protect against dermal elastic damage (“ageing”) need urgent resolution. Similar doubts about sunglasses and the protection of ocular elastic tissue also call for attention.