Diseases

Photosensitivity Disorders

Abnormal responses to sunlight or artificial light due to extreme reactivity of light-absorbing molecules in tissues. It refers almost exclusively to skin photosensitivity, including sunburn, reactions due to repeated prolonged exposure in the absence of photosensitizing factors, and reactions requiring photosensitizing factors such as photosensitizing agents and certain diseases. With restricted reference to skin tissue, it does not include photosensitivity of the eye to light, as in photophobia or photosensitive epilepsy.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Abnormal responses to sunlight or artificial light due to extreme reactivity of light-absorbing molecules in tissues. It refers almost exclusively to skin photosensitivity, including sunburn, reactions due to repeated prolonged exposure in the absence of photosensitizing factors, and reactions requiring photosensitizing factors such as photosensitizing agents and certain diseases. With restricted reference to skin tissue, it does not include photosensitivity of the eye to light, as in photophobia or photosensitive epilepsy.

MeSH Record

Classification

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MeSH Record

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Synonyms

22 entry terms
  • Photodermatitis
  • Disorder, Photosensitivity
  • Disorders, Photosensitivity
  • Photodermatitides
  • Photosensitivity Disorder
  • Actinic Reticuloid Syndrome
  • Chronic Actinic Dermatitis
  • Dermatitis, Actinic
  • Photosensitization
  • Actinic Dermatitides
  • Actinic Dermatitides, Chronic
  • Actinic Dermatitis
  • Actinic Dermatitis, Chronic
  • Actinic Reticuloid Syndromes
  • Chronic Actinic Dermatitides
  • Dermatitides, Actinic
  • Dermatitides, Chronic Actinic
  • Dermatitis, Chronic Actinic
  • Reticuloid Syndrome, Actinic
  • Reticuloid Syndromes, Actinic
  • Syndrome, Actinic Reticuloid
  • Syndromes, Actinic Reticuloid

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

a skin disease entity: does not mean sensitivity to light of eye, plants, bacteria, etc. ( = LIGHT)

MeSH Record

History Note

80; was PHOTOSENSITIZATION 1963-79

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. C17.800w.600w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WR 160

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Photosensitivity Disorders. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D010787. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D010787
  2. Photosensitivity Disorders. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosensitivity_in_humans
  3. Photosensitivity Disorders. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2944236