This is the second of two
columns about sun exposure.
Ultraviolet (UV) rays, an
invisible component of sunlight, can cause skin damage, cataracts, wrinkles,
age spots and skin cancer. These rays also weaken the skin’s immune system.
UV rays can hurt you on
cloudy as well as sunny days. UV rays also bounce off surfaces of the ocean,
sand, snow and cement.
One of the surest ways to
reduce your exposure to UV rays is to stay out of the sun when it is the
strongest. Those times in North America are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the
late spring and early summer.
Other ways to protect yourself are to wear protective clothing, such as a
wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt and long pants. You should use a sunscreen
rated at SPF 15 or more. Eye doctors recommend wraparound sunglasses that
provide 100 percent UV ray protection.
You should also pay
attention to the UV Index developed by the National Weather Service and the
Environmental Protection Agency. This index assesses risk of overexposure to UV
rays.
The UV Index is calculated
daily and is reported by the press. It can be found at:
www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html, where you can plug in your own zip code to
find out the index rating in your area.
The following are the index
levels:
• 2 or less: Low danger for
the average person
• 3 to 5: Moderate risk of
harm
• 6 to 7: High risk of harm.
• 8 to 10: Very high risk of
harm.
• 11+: Extreme risk of harm.
It is possible to go outside
when the UV Index is 11 or higher, but you must be sure to take every step
possible to protect yourself, including using sunscreen and wearing hats, long
sleeves and sunglasses — the works.
Not everyone reacts to the
sun in the same way. The level of danger calculated for the basic categories of
the UV Index are for a person with Type II skin. The following are the skin
types:
I: Always burns, never tans,
sensitive to sun exposure
II: Burns easily, tans
minimally
III: Burns moderately, tans
gradually to light brown
IV: Burns minimally, always
tans well to moderately brown
V: Rarely burns, tans
profusely to dark
VI: Never burns, deeply
pigmented, least sensitive
What is a suntan?
When UV rays penetrate the
skin’s inner layer, they generate the production of melanin, a dark pigment.
The melanin eventually moves toward the outer layers of the skin and becomes
visible as a tan. Every time you tan, you damage your skin and this damage
accumulates over time.
There is no safe tan. What
some call a “base tan” may actually increase the chances you’ll get a burn
because you’re likely to stay out longer without properly protecting your skin.
You should stay away from
tanning beds and sunlamps because they emit UV rays that can cause serious,
long-term skin damage. The amount of the radiation produced during indoor
tanning is similar to the sun’s production and in some cases may be greater.
Many tanning salons are
unregulated. They allow customers access to tanning beds without supervision or
eye protection.
If you have a question,
please write to fred@healthygeezer.com
All Rights Reserved © 2009
by Fred Cicetti