The new point that is made is a consequence of near-relativistic electron-positron flows expected in the near-magnetosphere's of "young" (not older than about a million years) neutron stars. Because of cyclotron resonance scattering by these pair-flows on surface X-ray and UV emission, we do not see unprocessed suface emission. In some simple models of it the inclusion of such pair-processing supports reinterpretations of various feaures observed in the spectra of neutron star thermal emission Two among these are inferred radiating areas, and the origin of spectral intensity drops commonly attributed to X-ray absorbtion in the atmospheres of neutron stars.