Overview
As you may know, sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) light that carries radiation properties and causes damage to your skin
We can divide these rays into three main categories:
- UVA – Ultraviolet radiation type A
- UVB – Ultraviolet radiation type B
- UVC – Ultraviolet radiation type C
Each type of rays affects your skin differently and could have dire consequences if you don’t protect yourself.
In this article, we will briefly discuss the nature of UV radiation, how it causes damage to your skin, and the protective measures you can take.
What is UV light?
Simply put, UV radiation is a form of electromagnetic energy emitted from natural (e.g., sunlight) and artificial sources (e.g., tablets, TV screens).
By far, the sun is the most powerful source of UV light that originates from endless reactions of nuclear fusion.Each type of rays affects your skin differently and could have dire consequences if you don’t protect yourself.
Depending on the wavelength, we can categorize these into UVA, UVB, and UVC.
According to researchers, up to 95% of the UV radiation that reaches the earth is UVA due to its long wavelength. UVB accounts for the remaining radiation.
Interestingly, the short waves of UVC prevent it from reaching the earth, which is fortunate since these rays have extremely high energy.
UVA
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UVB
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UVC
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The damages caused by UV light
While UVC is primarily emitted by the sun, tanning beds and tanning lamps mainly emit UVA radiation that can reach up to 12 times the radiation of the sun.
Unfortunately, both UVA and UVB cause damage to the skin by inducing genetic mutations in the DNA of cells. Once again, and since UVA has longer wavelengths, it tends to reach the deeper layers of the skin (e.g., dermis), which damages the cells and causes wrinkles.
On the other hand, UVB precipitates sunburns by damaging the epidermis (i.e., the outer layer of the skin).
Over time, these damages could reach the point of no return, where normal skin cells turn into cancer. What most people are unaware of is that the browning of the skin after exposure to sunlight (i.e., tanning) is the body’s response to minimize the damage of UV radiation.
In other words, the skin produces melanin (skin pigment) to reduce the amount of UV radiation that penetrates the deeper layers. For this reason, individuals with darker skin are less likely to develop complications.
INDIVIDUALS WITH DARKER SKIN ARE LESS LIKELY TO DEVELOP SKIN COMPLICATIONS
When this process fails to protect the skin, an array of problems arises, including sunburns and skin cancer.
The consequences of ignoring UV exposure
Unfortunately, people seem to ignore the harmful effects of UV radiation regardless of health warnings and educational campaigns.
In a 2012 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers found that 50.1% of all adults aged 18–29 years reported sun-induced skin conditions, such as sunburns. Out of these adults, the Caucasians had the most incidence.
With these statistics in mind, the popularity of indoor tanning has not been affected at all. In fact, one study noted that 35% of adults reported being exposed to indoor tanning in the past year.
Staggeringly, researchers estimate that tanning beds alone may add 10,000 cases of melanoma every year.
Note: melanoma is a malignant type of skin cancer that will cause approximately 6,850 deaths in the U.S. alone this year.
What is UPF?
UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor, which is a measurement used to estimate the effectiveness of sun protective fabrics.
In other words, this parameter allows you to predict the amount of UV radiation that penetrates the fabric and reaches the skin.
Generally speaking, the UPF rating ranges from 15–50 depending on the level of protection provided by the clothing item. The higher the rating, the better the clothing item is at blocking UV radiation.
For instance, a UPF of 50 blocks 49/50 of UV rays, which translates to around 98% of arriving beams.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, a fabric must have at least 30 UPF to protect your skin from the harmful UV radiation.
What is SPF?
The SPF number usually refers to the duration needed for the skin to redden when exposed to the sun while wearing sunscreen. A skin with a sunscreen (SPF +30), will take 30 times longer to burn compared to not wearing any sunscreen.
In general, an SPF of 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays from hitting your skin, whereas an SPF of 50 blocks around 98% of radiation. While this difference might seem insignificant, the number of rays hitting your skin is staggeringly lower when the SPF is even slightly higher.
Unfortunately, when people use sunscreens with high SPF, they tend to get a false sense of security, which leads to more skin damage, defeating the purpose of wearing sunscreen.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, sunscreen must have at least 30 SPF (water-resistant) to protect your skin from the harmful UV radiation.
How does UPF protect you from UV light
As just mentioned, UPF reduces the number of penetrating UV beams, which prevents the process of genetic mutations of skin cells.
In simpler terms, these fabrics will act as a shield that reflects UV radiation and protects the dermis.
SPF vs UPF
SPF VS UPF
While UPF estimates the protection fabrics provide, Sun Protection Factor (SPF) primarily refers to the protective properties of sunscreens.
SPF differs from UPF in the following ways:
- The measured parameter
UPF measures the amount of UV radiation that penetrates the fabric to reach the skin.
SPF measures the time it takes for the skin to redden under sunlight exposure.
- The measured parameter
- The type of UV radiation
UPF accounts for UVA and UVB when calculating the rating.
SPF only accounts for UVB unless labeled as broad-spectrum.
- The type of UV radiation
Takeaway message
UV radiation is the leading cause of skin cancer worldwide. The most susceptible group to develop UV-related skin conditions are those with fair skin since there isn’t enough melanin to reflect the radiation.
You can read more about sun-related aging and facts on how sun exposure can cause visible signs of aging that can be difficult or impossible to reverse.
Hopefully, this article managed to shed some light on the importance of being aware of UV radiation, the damages it can cause, and how to protect ourselves.
If you still have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comment section below or reach out to us by clicking on this link (SAY HELLO).
