Posted on 21 Jul 2022

UV radiation is an energy that is produced from the sun and some other artificial sources like solarium as well. There was a time when these rays were deflected back into the universe after hitting on the ozone layer but unfortunately we humans have destroyed the ozone layer from pollution and global warming that result in direct exposure of UV rays on the Earth.

How UV rays affect the skin?

UV radiations from sunlight are the silent enemy of your skin because these radiations cannot be felt or observed and even they cannot be noticed until they made damages to your skin.

Some of the damages produced by UV radiation are:

• Sunburn: (Erythema)

When you get excessive exposure to UV then it may lead to sunburn that is also known as erythema. The characteristic of the erythema is that it causes reddening of the skin.

Ultraviolet radiations also aid in the thickening of the outermost layer that facilitates the absorption of UV rays into the skin. The individual with fair complexion is prone to erythema.

Aging of Skin:

On facial skin, almost 80% of the fines lines and wrinkles are the result of UV radiations of the sun. It makes your skin dull and makes you look older. It even causes blotchiness, roughness, and skin sagging as well.

These are the few damages that we shared with you regarding the impact of UV rays. It causes skin cancer as well.Not only can it cause premature aging but skin cancer .that is why preventing skin cancer requires comprehensive approach.

You must be worried now. How can you protect your skin from solar UV radiation as they are producing the damaging effects on your skin.

How to protect yourself from UV radiation?

Although UV rays are harming you there are certain methods to reduce the effects of UV radiations from the sun and these are:

1. Daily use sunscreen while going out even if the weather is cloudy.

2. You must apply one ounce of sunscreen at least 15 minutes before leaving and also use lip balm or lipstick that has sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF). The Sunscreen SPF-50 must be part of your sunscreen products.

3. Sunscreen must be of the broad spectrum that protects against UV radiations and it must be water-resistant as well.

4. The sunscreen must be reapplied every two hours.

5. Also, use sunglasses to protect your eyes from the damaging UV radiation.

6. The timings during which the sun rays are intense are between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

The area where we experience the most sunburn is the beach because there is the presence of water and sand and these two things reflect the damaging UV rays of sun leading to severe sunburn or tanning. Despite the risk,you can safely ,happily enjoy the great outdoors by protecting your skin against UV exposure with sunscreen and sun-safe clothing. The degree of damage depends on the intensity of UV rays and the length of time your skin has been exposed without protection. We can all enjoy the sunshine to the fullest at the beach or garden without any damage to the skin if we properly follow the above-mentioned guidelines.

Times have change,but we cannot restrict our movement. It is important to Make it a way of life to protect yourself every day and nourish your skin with the proper skin food.