While there are some benefits to exposure to natural sunlight – like improving mood, increasing vitamin D levels, enhancing sleep, and slowing the aging process down – it is wise to be cautious in the sun to avoid the detrimental effects of its ultraviolet rays.
Ultraviolet light causes skin to lose elastin, which is a primary factor in the formation of wrinkles. Elastin fibers are what help skin maintain elasticity. Without it, time and gravity will take its toll on the skin, stretching it and creating a rough and wrinkly surface, giving a premature appearance of aging.
Prolonged exposure to the sun can also lead to precancerous lesions known as actinic keratoses. They occur frequently in lighter-skinned people with blond or red hair and blue eyes. These lesions can be worrisome, as, unlike the benign sebhoorric keratoses, they very often lead to malignant carcinomas.
Skin cancer is another major pitfall of exposure to the sun’s reckless ultrviolet rays. In areas where sunlight is prevalent, and people receive extensive exposure, especially as children and teens, squamas cell and basal cell carcinomas are more common. The risk of malignant melanomas is also quite high.
In rarer cases, there may be an adverse allergic reaction to sunlight which can produce blotchiness, rashes, or blemishes on skin. These types of reactions can be brought on or intensified by the use of certain prescriptions, including antidepressants, antibiotics and blood pressure medication.
Take precautions when going out into the sun, especially for prolonged periods of time. When choosing a sun screen, look at the Ultraviolet Protection Factor, or UPF. The higher the number, the better the UV protection. Wearing hats with a brim at least three inches wide can help protect your head, ears and neck from burning, as well as protecting your eyes.
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