The Skin Against The Sun

Getting Naked

There are two primary drivers behind the heated debate around the topic of sun protection for the skin.

The first and most important reason is that we can’t live without vitamin D. Which can only be made when our skin is exposed to the sun. As vitamin D is essential to our health, limiting our time in the sun might have negative consequences. Reason number two concerns sunscreens and the types of active ingredients that are used to create an SPF (Sun\sProtecting Factor). Rating for these products, some of which might have unwanted systemic consequences. I know, just when you thought you had the idea of protecting yourself from the sun nailed down, here comes a curve ball right down the middle of the plate!

The Test

However, when it comes to skin, what is absolutely not in question and has not changed is one major yet basic fact. Sun damage is by far the most significant cause of wrinkling, skin ageing, and skin cancers. In addition to the copious amounts of studies that demonstrate the veracity of these harmful consequences, you may conduct your own investigation by way of a test. The term for this aspect of ageing is the “backside test.” To put it another way, do a comparison between the portions of your body that are exposed to the sun on a regular basis and the sections of your body that encounter the light very infrequently, if at all. You will see that those areas that get minimal sun exposure (such as your backside, inside of your arm, breasts, middle back, and thighs) only very rarely appear dry, flaky, thin, show brown discolourations, have wrinkles, or any of the other signs of “ageing.” Meanwhile, skin chronically exposed to the sun without protection looks “older” than skin that hasn’t been exposed to the sun or has been protected in some manner.

Closer Look

Of course, this personal test only works if you are over the age of 30. Because that is about the time the accumulated sun damage you’ve been getting from unprotected and prolonged sun exposure begins to show up. If you are under the age of 30, I highly recommend you examine the skin of a friend or acquaintance who is above the age of 40. The changes are usually remarkable. Those areas of the body that get the least amount of sun exposure have far more firmness, elasticity, even colour, and the appearance of “younger” skin because they have not been subjected to years of cumulative exposure to sunlight. It is impossible to prevent wrinkles without shielding one’s skin from the sun with extreme caution and, if necessary, an almost pathological level of paranoia.

Understanding UV

It is important to have a solid understanding of what you are dealing with before attempting to comprehend how to handle the sun. Being outside in the sun and feeling its warmth is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But, even on days when it is gloomy and you cannot see the sun, the sun’s rays are always there and always damaging to the skin. To put it simply, the infrared rays (IR) of the sun are what perform the vital task of keeping us warm, while the visible rays are what bring daytime. Moreover, the sun’s ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a significant factor to consider due to the potentially damaging effects that it has on the skin and the eyes.

In essence, UVR irradiation from sunlight is a human carcinogen in the same way as smoking and pollution are. Unprotected sun exposure, or exposure to sun lights that mimic the sun’s impact on skin, is hazardous. There is a lot of research on this issue, especially when it comes to the emergence of wrinkles, skin discolouration, dryness, flaky skin, immune system damage, and skin cancer.

Uvr classification

UVR is classified into three bands:

UVA, UVB, and UVC. Almost all UVC radiation is filtered off by the atmosphere, so none reaches the earth’s surface (though some researchers are concerned about ozone depletion as well). UVA photons, in contrast to UVC rays, reach considerable portions of the earth.
UVB radiation also reaches the planet, however, part of it is blocked by ozone. It is proof of UVB’s damaging impact on skin that even modest levels that are not prevented by the ozone layer may cause severe harm.

UVB radiation, the sun’s rays that cause sunburn, has a high ability to induce immediate skin damage. UVB causes mutations and aberrant development patterns in the skin’s genetic makeup.
UVA are the sun’s quiet beams. You can’t feel them, yet they’re all around you and cause the skin to brown. As appealing as a tan may seem, the free-radical damage that occurs concurrently and is caused by UVA rays is sneaky and unrelenting. Despite the fact that UVB rays are stronger than UVA radiation, UVA radiation poses a greater risk to the skin. This is because the planet receives 100 times more UVA radiation than UVB radiation. Although UVA is less than UVB, the quantity available in the atmosphere has a significant influence on the skin.

Note

This all adds up to a major headache for your skin. It is simply impossible to seem younger if you do not protect yourself from the sun. UVA and UVB rays together may cause skin cancer, cataracts, and other eye damage, as well as depress the body’s (and skin’s) immune system, preventing it from functioning correctly. Unprotected or extended sun exposure, even with protection, causes the outer layer of skin to thicken, wrinkle, and discolour, while the underlying layers of skin steadily deteriorate, resulting in thinning and more severe wrinkling. Capillaries near the skin’s surface might weaken, crack, and become apparent, particularly on the cheekbones, nose, and chin.

Impact

Pollution’s impact on the ozone layer of the atmosphere, which is situated several miles above the earth’s surface, is serious business for a variety of reasons, but this discussion focuses on what that implies for the skin. The ozone layer, when intact, blocks off most of the sun’s UVB energy while having minimal influence on UVA. As the ozone layer depletes, sun-burning UVB rays increase, resulting in more severe burns for individuals who go outdoors without protection.

Since UVB rays cannot pass through the glass, there is no danger of sunburn while sitting in a vehicle or near a window, but that’s the good news. Unfortunately, UVA rays may get through the glass. Since ordinary glass does not prevent skin from UVA damage, sitting in a vehicle or next to a window that let light in provides no UVA protection. (Sunglasses are essential.)