In my last post I mentioned how dark skin is great because it can hide a sunburn.
What is a sunburn?
Sunburn is a form of radiation burn that affects living tissue, such as skin, that results from an overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, commonly from the sun.
What can cause a sunburn?
Going out in sunny weather without using protection, yh protection!!!!! Many of us feel because Nigeria is sunny generally means we should live in the sun, hell NO!!! while some are thinking it can only make them darker nothing more, that's not true yep there is more.
You already know the simple explanation behind sunburn. When your skin is exposed to the sun for a period of time, eventually it burns, turning red, burnt look and irritated.
Under the skin, things get a little more complicated. The sun gives off three wavelengths of ultraviolet light:
- UVA (UVA stands for Ultra Violet A. These rays penetrate deeper through the epidermis into the lower layers of skin known as the dermis. UVA rays are the cause of visible signs of aging such as wrinkles, hyperpigmentation (sun spots) and loss of elasticity).
- UVB (UVB stands for Ultra Violet B. These rays penetrate the upper layers of the skin known as the epidermis and cause the skin to burn. UVA stands for Ultra Violet A. These rays penetrate deeper through the epidermis into the lower layers of skin known as the dermis).
- UVC (UVC is the most dangerous type of ultraviolet light but cannot penetrate earth's protective ozone layer. Therefore, it poses no threat to human, animal or plant life on earth. UVA and UVB, on the other hand, do penetrate the ozone layer in attenuated form and reach the surface of the planet).
UVC light doesn't reach the Earth's surface. Skin damage is caused by both UVA and UVB rays.
Sunburn is the most obvious sign that you've been sitting outside for too long. But sun damage isn't always visible. Under the surface, ultraviolet light can alter your DNA, prematurely aging your skin. Over time, DNA damage can contribute to skin cancers, including deadly melanoma.
Another major cause of burn is bleaching creams, creams that contain hydroquinone they don't just gel well with the Nigerian weather.
I have read so much about sunburns and how it takes years to destroy the skin, look at what I came across while reading,
Read on for Dr. Roberts' top five reasons why we should all use SPF products.
What straight-up advice (or words of caution) can you offer people who never wear sunscreen?
You will regret not having worn sunscreen when you look at your skin compared to friends and family who have worn daily sunscreen 20 years from now.
If you've ever wondered what the SPF number on your sunscreen bottle means, it stands for Sun Protection Factor. These SPF ratings start at 2 and can reach as high as 70. They measure a sunscreen's effect against UVB rays and the amount of time you can be in the sun before burning. If, for example, you burn after ten minutes of sun exposure without any cream, an SPF of 15 will allow you to stay in the sun for up to 150 minutes without burning. So, the higher the SPF number, the more sunburn protection the cream provides.
What are the top five reasons you believe everyone should wear sunscreen?
1. The ozone layer is depleting and your body needs shielding from harmful rays.
2. Skin cancer rates are on the rise and sunscreen has been proven to decrease the development of skin cancer.
3. It helps to prevent facial brown spots and skin discolorations.
4. It also helps to reduce the appearance of facial red veins and blotchiness.
5. It slows down the development of wrinkled, premature aging skin.
What about the need for obtaining vitamin D via the sun?
Most people can fulfill their vitamin D requirements of 600 IU or 15mcg per day with normal daily outdoor activities amounting to five to 30 minutes twice per week. Equally, a healthy vitamin D rich diet of fish, milk, dairy, liver, eggs and vitamin D supplementation provides daily requirements. Prolonged sun exposure gives no extra production of necessary vitamin D, and it exposes the skin to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation which includes development of skin cancers.
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