[IRA protection. Needs and possibilities].

When it comes to skin damage, solar radiation is often regarded to be identical to ultraviolet (UV) but it includes much more. Over 90% of solar radiation is in the non-UV-range. Infrared A radiation (IRA, 760-1440 nm) accounts for around 30% of the solar energy reaching the earth's surface and exert detrimental effects on the skin. IRA alters the collagen equilibrium of the dermal extracellular matrix by leading to an increased expression of the collagen degrading enzyme matrixmetalloproteinase-1 while decreasing the expression of the dominant collagen gene Col1alpha1. IRA therefore leads to endpoints similar to UV, but the underlying biological mechanisms are substantially different. IRA acts via the mitochondria. IRA-specific protective approaches should be added to conventional sun protections strategies.