Fototerapia e fotochemioterapia: un lungo cammino cominciato 4000 anni fa.

The aim of this review was to trace the main steps of phototherapy and photochemotherapy through history. Although the therapeutic effects of sunlight, either alone or in combination with the use of natural photosensitizing substances, were well known by the ancient Indians and Egyptians in 2000 B.C., only during this century have studies been carried out allowing a scientific approach to this important field of dermatology. The Authors have reviewed the literature to trace historically the biochemistry of furocumarins, the development of irradiative sources, the first dermatologic clinical applications of non-ionizing radiation up to the birth, about 20 years ago, of modern photodermatology.