Gender differences in the fluorescence of human skin in young healthy adults.

Abstract

Human skin naturally contains many endogenous fluorophores; therefore, fluorescence techniques can be used for monitoring of the human skin even in in vivo mode. The aim of this work was to study skin autofluorescence in vivo regarding the possible effect of gender. Fluorescence emission spectra of young healthy Caucasian adults in 3 anatomical regions (forehead, hand, and inner upper arm) were taken with excitation at 280, 325, or 400nm. Three emission bands were found in the spectra for both men and women: (1) an intensive band peaked at 340/280nm (peak emission/excitation wavelength), corresponding to aromatic amino acids of proteins in epidermis; (2) a broad band with emission between 360 nm and 480 nm (excitation 325nm) with a base peak around 390nm and 2 side peaks at 420 and 450nm, mainly due to collagen cross-links in dermis with a possible weak contribution of elastin and mitochondrial NADPH; (3) a weak but distinct peak at 600/400nm corresponding presumably to skin unmetalled porphyrins. The intensity of skin autofluorescence showed differences between genders and among anatomical regions. The 340 nm intensity was 1.4 times higher in the male group in all 3 anatomical regions studied. The highest intensity of skin autofluorescence for the peaks at 340/280nm and 600/400nm was found on the forehead, whereas the 390/325nm band was most intensive on the inner upper arm in both genders.