Ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) is involved in the development of deleterious cutaneous damage. Several changes could be attributed to UVB-induced reactive oxygen species attacks in fibroblasts. However dermal cells from young and adult skin could respond differently to oxidative stress. So antioxidant status and its consequences on cytotoxicity and apoptosis were compared in child foreskin fibroblasts (FF) and adult abdominal skin fibroblasts (AF) in response to UVB. Basal levels of lipid peroxidation tended to be higher in AF than in FF, which could be related to a reshaping of antioxidant defences (higher catalase and lower superoxide dismutase activities). AF and FF appeared to react similarly to high UVB doses as regards cytotoxicity and apoptosis which increased significantly 24h after exposure. The enhancement of cell death could be due to the inherent oxidative stress: glutathione appeared significantly decreased in both cell populations. As a consequence AF, but not FF, presented significantly increased levels of lipid peroxidation, which could be explained by the pre-cited differences of basal antioxidant defences. These results suggest that AF and FF do not respond to UVB by the same pathway.