efficient absorber than fat, so at lower frequencies that can penetrate sufficiently deep, most energy gets deposited there. In a homogeneous medium, the energy/depth dependence is an exponential curve with the exponent depending on the frequency and tissue. For 2.5 GHz, the first millimeter of muscle tissue absorbs 11% of the heat energy, the first two millimeters together absorb 20%. For lower frequencies, the attenuation factors are much lower, the achievable heating depths are higher, and the temperature gradient within the tissue is lower. Tissue damage The tissue damage depends primarily on the absorbed energy and the tissue sensitivity; it is a function of the microwave power density (which depends on the distance from the source and its power output), frequency, absorption rate in the given tissue, and the tissue sensitivity. Tissues with high water (resp. electrolyte) content show higher microwave absorption. The degree of the tissue damage depends on both the achieved temperature and the length of exposure. For short times, higher temperatures can be tolerated. The damage can be spread over a large area, when the source is a relatively distant energy radiator, or a very small (though possibly deep) area, when the body comes to a direct contact with the source (e.g. a wire or a connector pin). The epidermis has high electrical resistance for lower frequencies; at higher frequencies, the energy penetrates through by capacitive coupling. Damage to epidermis has low extent unless the epidermis is very moist. The characteristic depth for lower-frequency microwave injury is about 1 cm. The heating rate of adipose tissue is much slower than of muscle tissue. Frequencies in millimeter wave range are absorbed in the topmost layer of skin, rich in thermal sensors. At lower frequencies, between 1–10 GHz, most of the energy is however absorbed in deeper layers; the threshold for cellular injury there lies at 42 °C while the pain threshold is at 45 °C, so a subjective perception may not be a reliable indicator of a harmful level of exposure at those frequencies. Skin Exposure to frequencies common in domestic and industrial sources rarely leads to significant skin damage; in such cases, the damage tends to be limited to upper limbs. Significant injury with erythema, blisters, pain, nerve damage and tissue necrosis can occur even with exposures as short as 2–3 seconds. Due to the deep penetration of these frequencies, the skin may be minimally affected and