TOP 5 FACTS ON HOW THE SUN AFFECTS YOUR SKIN

Like all good things in life, sunshine too should be enjoyed in moderation.

Sunlight helps your skin make vitamin D, it helps enhance your mood, treats seasonal depression, relieves stress and improves sleep. However, like all good things in life, sunshine too should be enjoyed in moderation. Too much sun exposure can lead to ageing faster along with various other detrimental effects.

What are ultraviolet (UV) rays?

Sunlight travels to earth through long and short waves or rays which are both invisible and visible. These shorter rays are called UV (ultraviolet) light.

UV light itself reaches the Earth through further long and short rays. The long rays are called UVA rays and the short ones are called UVB rays.

Sunburn is caused by too much exposure to UVB rays. UVA rays travel deeper into the skin which also causes damage. Both UVB and UVA are harmful to the skin.

Top 5 facts on how the sun affects the skin

1. Did you know sun exposure is a huge factor in aging? — UV rays enter skin cells and interfere with the processes responsible for the skin’s growth and appearance. Sun exposure plays a huge part in developing wrinkles and how early wrinkles appear.

2. UV light damages collagen (structural protein) and elastic tissue which weakens the skin. Continuous exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays can make the skin less elastic making the skin become thickened, leathery, wrinkled or thinned. This is caused by collagen break down which is bound to happen anyway as you age. However, with sun exposure this process is sped up so collagen is broken down at a higher rate than normal.

3. Too much sun exposure raises the risk for skin cancer because UV light enters skin cells and interferes with the DNA within. This causes changes to cells, making them grow and divide rapidly leading to clumps of extra cells called tumour or lesion.

4. Continuous sun exposure can weaken your immune system. — the body’s defensive immune system meant to attack infections and abnormal cell growths include specialized white blood cells called T lymphocytes and skin cells called Langerhans cells. Excessive sunlight releases chemicals that suppress these cells which then weaken the overall immune response in our bodies.

5. Age spots, melasma, and skin discolouration (hyperpigmentation) — dark spots and uneven skin tone due to discolouration or hyper-pigmentation are due to sun exposure. The skin becomes darkened in specific areas or in patches because melanin is being produced by the skin to absorb UV light and protect your body from the sun. Although this may seem like a good thing the problem is it doesn’t happen in one shade. Instead, this leaves us with patches of dark areas on our face. I have this problem specifically around the chin area and I was told by a beautician that it’s due to the sun.

What to do to protect yourself from the sun?

• Wear SUNSCREEN — use SPF 15 or higher with both UVA and UVB protection. It is recommended lighter-skinned individuals wear SPF 30 or higher but I am dark-skinned and I like to wear SPF 30 or higher. As every sunscreen bottle would say, apply sunscreen 20–30 minutes before going out and make sure to reapply.

• Stay in the shade — sun exposure should be limited between 10 am to 4 pm because that is when sunlight is most intense. I usually avoid going out between 12 pm to 2 pm during the summer.

• Protect your eyes — eyes can get damaged due to the sun too so, of course, wear sunglasses. It’s not just for those who want to look “cool.” It’s not just an accessory. It’s necessary.

• Cover your skin — wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves help reduce sun exposure

• Avoid indoor tanning — this was a shocker to me but through my research, I found that tanning beds and sun lamps use light bulbs that speed up tanning by delivering harmful UV rays which increase the risk for skin damage and cancer