Sun, source of energy
The Sun is an important source of energy and it is essential for life. Nowadays, we are aware about the dangers of excessive sun exposure but, do you really know why and how sun exposure affects your skin health? In this post, we are going to have a look to the benefits and the dangers of sun exposure, and you will learn about the different types of UV radiation.
The Sun helps us to keep our sleeping patterns on track and has positive effects in our mood. Sun exposure in small doses is beneficial as it boosts vitamin D production which will keep our bones strong and promotes the formation of Melanin that will protect our skin cells from UV damage. However, you should always use a good sunblock, even if you are already tanned.
Harmful UV Rays
To understand how damaging excessive sun exposure can be, we need to know a little bit more about Ultra Violet radiation.
UV radiation is absorbed by DNA, RNA, proteins, membrane lipids, cell organelles (that are present in epidermal and dermal cells) and the vascular system. The effects of UV radiation are accumulative and dose-dependent; they are proportionally related to time exposure, frequency and radiation intensity.
UVC rays are stopped by the stratosphere and so they are not considered a risk factor for our skin health.
UVB rays cause erythema (sunburn) and are linked strongly to skin cancer.
UVA rays account for up to 95 % of the UV radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, penetrate clouds and glass. They penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB, reaching the dermis and causing accumulative damage in collagen and elastin that leads to photoaging (apparition of wrinkles, skin aging). UVA rays are involved in the apparition of photosensitivity or Sun allergy and they also produce DNA damage that can cause cytotoxicity and carcinogenesis which are considered as inductors of malignant melanoma.
*Both UVB and UVA are the main responsible for the formation of free radicals in skin which cause oxidative stress.
UV radiation can damage your skin all year round so do not forget to wear sunblock every day, even if it is cloudy!
Visit our blog next week to learn how you should protect your skin according to your skin phototype.
