International modified Delphi consensus statement on visible light photoprotection: Effects, measurement, and recommendations

Henry W Lim; Sérgio Schalka; Franz Trautinger; Mauricio S Baptista; Anna L Chien; Curtis Cole; Yolanda Gilaberte; Salvador González; Iltefat Hamzavi; Jean Krutmann; Indermeet Kohli; Uli Osterwalder; Michelle Rodrigues; Thierry Passeron

doi:10.1016/j.jid.2026.03.012

International modified Delphi consensus statement on visible light photoprotection: Effects, measurement, and recommendations

J Invest Dermatol. 2026 May 7:S0022-202X(26)00999-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2026.03.012. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ The Henry W. Lim, MD, Division of Photobiology and Photomedicine, Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA; Department of Dermatology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Electronic address: hlim1@hfhs.org.
² Photoprotection Lab, Medcin Skin Research Center, Osasco, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
³ Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital of St. Pölten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, St. Pölten, Austria.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
⁶ Sun & Skin Consulting, LLC, New Holland, Pennsylvania, USA.
⁷ Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza University, Zaragoza, Spain.
⁸ Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Alcalá University, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
⁹ The Henry W. Lim, MD, Division of Photobiology and Photomedicine, Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
¹⁰ IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany.
¹¹ The Henry W. Lim, MD, Division of Photobiology and Photomedicine, Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA; Department of Dermatology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
¹² Sun Protection Facilitator GmbH, Basel, Switzerland.
¹³ Chroma Dermatology, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Dermatology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
¹⁴ Department of Dermatology, Nice University Hospital Center, University Côte d'Azur Nice, Nice, France; Centre de Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, INSERM U1065, University Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.

PMID: 42101389
DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2026.03.012

Abstract

Exposure to solar UVR is well-known to elicit photobiologic effects on the skin. However, exposure to visible light (VL) is now known to contribute to numerous cutaneous responses, such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and play a role in melasma and some photodermatoses. Unlike UVR, no standard methods have been agreed upon for assessing VL photoprotection. The aims of this modified Delphi consensus process were to convene an international panel of experts in VL photobiology to define the cutaneous effects of VL on the basis of current best evidence, determine the populations most in need of VL photoprotection, identify the best strategies for VL photoprotection, and recommend a standardized methodological approach for assessing the effects of VL on the skin. These 27 consensus statements are provided to guide and optimize future research, clinical practice, and product development for VL photoprotection.

Keywords: Melanogenesis; Photobiology; Photodermatology; Pigmentation; Sunscreen.

Publication types

Review