Sun exposure can have both positive and negative effects on our health. While we need some sun exposure to produce vitamin D, too much unprotected exposure to the suns ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause damage to the skin, eyes, and immune system. Here are some details about sun exposure:
Positive effects:
- Sunlight helps our bodies make vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption for stronger and healthier bones.
Negative effects:
- Too much UV radiation from sunlight is dangerous and can cause skin damage, skin cancer, premature aging of the skin, and the development of cataracts.
- UVA rays cause aging, wrinkling, and loss of elasticity, while UVB rays cause a much greater risk of skin cancer than UVA.
- Sunburns develop when the amount of UV damage exceeds the protection that the skins melanin can provide.
- Photoaging is the premature aging of the skin due to ongoing exposure to UVA and UVB radiation, which can come from natural UV radiation exposure from the sun or artificial UV light sources (tanning beds or sun lamps). UV exposure not only ages your skin more quickly than it naturally would but can also increase your risk for skin cancer.
Ingredients or materials:
- Sunscreens are topical preparations containing substances that reflect or absorb light in the UV wavelengths and reduce the amount of UVR that reaches the skin. There are two classes of active ingredients, known as UV filters, in sunscreen products: chemical (sometimes referred to as organic) and physical (sometimes referred to as mineral or inorganic) .
- Active ingredients in sunscreen products include aminobenzoic acid, avobenzone, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, homosalate, meradimate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, padimate O, sulisobenzone, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide.
- Inactive ingredients are all other ingredients that are not active ingredients, such as water or oil that may be used in formulating sunscreens.
In summary, while some sun exposure is healthy and pleasurable, measures should be taken to prevent overexposure to sunlight to reduce the risks of harmful effects. Sunscreens with SPF values of 15 or higher, protective clothing, and seeking shade under trees, umbrellas, or other structures can help reduce UV exposure.
