REFLECTION ULTRAVIOLET PHOTOGRAPHY AS SURFACE PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE SKIN

Because of the physical properties of ultraviolet radiation which does not penetrate deep into the dermis, the surface of the skin is visualized better by reflection ultraviolet photography than by conventional photography under certain conditions. This technique is relatively easy, once a UV-rich electronic flash and a UV-transmitting, visible ray-absorbing filter, which is known to dermatologists as Wood's filter or Wood's glass, are available. Representative photographs are presented, showing indications of reflection ultraviolet photography in the field of dermatology. The most important lesson of reflection ultraviolet photography is, however, to teach us the relationship between the wavelength of radiation and its reflectance from the skin.