The human body benefits from sun exposure. And a little bit of tan protects you from the sun. Right? Wrong!
The body does indeed benefit from sun exposure. But a little bit of tan does not necessarily protect you from the sun. Let's see why.
The sun's rays are a major source of vitamin D and help the body's systems acquire much needed calcium for building healthy bones. However, most people don't need to spend large amounts of time exposed to the sun in order to get their required amount of vitamin D.
In fact, the body's health can actually suffer negative effects when it's exposed too long to the sun's rays, especially if it's unprotected. Results can vary from skin and eye damage to immune system suppression and ultimately cancer, even for the young.
So let's look at the basic facts about sun exposure.
There are three kinds of invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays in the sun that reaches earth: UVA, UVB, and UVC. When these rays come in contact with our skin, affects of UVA and UVB can be - tans, burns and other reactions (e.g. like acne and cancer).
It's also notable that the effects of all UV rays are not the same. Depending upon the season, time of day and place on the planet in relation to the sun - (i.e. your altitude and latitude), the rays' intensities vary. For example, during summertime, UV rays are at their strongest. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the rays are strongest. And close to the equator and at high altitudes (where air and cloud cover are less, resulting in increased harmful penetration of UV rays into the environment), the rays are also strongest.
In order to protect ourselves from the harmful UV rays, let's look at the skin's first defense - melanin.
Melanin is a chemical present in a variety of colors and concentrations in most people's skin that helps with defense from the sun. Melanin reacts with UV rays and absorbs them. Or rather, to be more specific, the rays act upon melanin, causing the melanin to spread out or grow, increasing its presence in response to the sun's exposure. The result? A 'sun tan'. The darker the skin color, the more melanin the skin has for protection. And 'tanning' for darker color is included here; 'color' does not have to refer to just the original skin color.
A word of caution...
Tanning may look great on the surface, - but the amount and length of time a person is exposed to the sun, determines the amount of possible damage. It also determines the future risk of damage that's likely.
For example, people who are exposed to the sun in huge doses like ship crews, field workers and beach surfers, are at higher risks for skin damage than indoor workers. What happens is that when the amount of UV exposure is greater than what the skin's melanin can handle, sunburn can result. And those with lighter, fairer skin, who have less melanin, absorb less UV, suffering less protection.
Since research has shown that UV damage from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer, (with as high as 20% of some populations developing skin cancer during their lifetime), we need to take a proactive approach in relation to sun exposure to avoid harmful skin damage.
As we say colloquially here in Australia - "Slip, Slop, Slap". (I.e. 'Slip' on a shirt, 'Slop' on a hat, 'Slap' on a sunscreen). Look after the skin you've got, because you're the one who will be living with it!
After the long winter many look forward to the spring sun. The sidewalk cafes is fully occupied. On meadows and in city parks one sees sun-hungry, which relax in the warmth. But the intensive duration of sunshine saves also dangers, which one should not underestimate. In the spring the skin is endangered, there it only slowly to the sun particularly to get accustomed must, says Werner Nording, press spokesman of the federal office for radiation protection (BfS). Also who is not solar energy, has by the composition of the UV jets self-protection changed in solar powered acquired. One must absolutely use a sun cream with appropriate light protection factor, carry body-covering clothes or be better still in the shade. On a long-term basis exaggerated sun bathing can lead to premature skin aging and skin cancer.
The skin of children reacts particularly sensitively to the sun. The number of sun fires, one humans up to 18. Year of life suffers, is a crucial factor for the risk to get sick decades later with skin cancer. Nording: Who deals, can reasonably with the sun the beautiful weather without regret and to enjoy, the BfS speaker says bad late damage. Children up to two years should not be exposed to the UV-RADIATION at all.
About the current load by UV-RADIATION the UV index informs, briefly UVI. That is an internationally valid value, with which one can calculate, how long one may expose oneself to sunbeams. The UV index describes the maximum daily peak value of the sun-fire-effective UV-RADIATION expected at the ground. The more highly this value, the more largely is the sun fire risk, describes Nording. For example if UVI values from 5 to 7 are expected, then this means a high UV load. A sun fire is then already after 20 minutes very probable.
The BfS publishes the current UVI measured values as well as a three-daily prognosis, which can be called up under in the Internet. In addition the Expertes and expert of the federal office for radiation protection (BfS) over the effects of UV jets, the different skin typees and hints inform to the sun protection. As guide is considered: Double UVI value results in the light protection factor of the sun protective agent, with which adults should protect themselves.
The UVI depends particularly on the position of the sun and changes from there most strongly with the season and the geographical width. The ozone situation in the atmosphere, cloudy appearance and the altitude of a place play likewise a role. Reflections of sand and snow affect the height of the UVI.
recommends:
Suitable clothes and head coverage are an effective protection from sun fire
Since the UV-RADIATION is highest in the noon hours, one spends this time better in the shade - there the skin is anyway more gently tanned
More than 50 sun baths in the year are not recommended
Particularly with children is 우리카지노 to be paid attention absolutely to good sun protection
Children under two years should not be exposed to the sun at all