Sun’s Out, Screen Up
It is summertime. People are storing away their sweaters and jackets and pulling their shorts and tank tops out of their closets. It is finally the prime time to suit up in one’s bikini or board shorts and head to the beach to soak in the sun.
However, while it may be fun to lounge outside all day and get a summer tan, soaking up the sun is not always for the best for human health. Overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a major cause of skin cancer since these potent rays damage human deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the genetic material which helps comprise all living things. When DNA becomes damaged, human cells, in this case skin cells, can divide uncontrollably and lead to the onset of cancer. Sunscreen with SPF, or sun protection factor, which ranges from values of 15 to 90 has the capability to diminish many of the negative effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Unfortunately, studies are finding that the average sunscreen user does not apply a sufficient amount of sunscreen to reap its benefits, meaning users must either increase the SPF of sunscreen they use or increase the amount of sunscreen they use.
However, while it may be fun to lounge outside all day and get a summer tan, soaking up the sun is not always for the best for human health. Overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a major cause of skin cancer since these potent rays damage human deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the genetic material which helps comprise all living things. When DNA becomes damaged, human cells, in this case skin cells, can divide uncontrollably and lead to the onset of cancer. Sunscreen with SPF, or sun protection factor, which ranges from values of 15 to 90 has the capability to diminish many of the negative effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Unfortunately, studies are finding that the average sunscreen user does not apply a sufficient amount of sunscreen to reap its benefits, meaning users must either increase the SPF of sunscreen they use or increase the amount of sunscreen they use.
Image Source: qimono
One study tested the effects of 50 SPF sunscreen at four doses ranging from 0 to 2 milligrams of sunscreen per centimeter cubed of skin and evaluated the sun’s effects when individuals were exposed to ultraviolet rays over the course of just one day or over five days. The study found that the group who applied .75 milligrams per centimeter cubed, the typical dosage of the average sunscreen-user, was not enough to sufficiently protect the skin in comparison to the groups who applied 1.3 or 2 milligrams of sunscreen per centimeter cubed of skin. This means that most people who apply sunscreen are not adequately protecting themselves from the sun.
The good news is that when adequate amounts of sunscreen are applied, such as 1.3 or 2 milligrams, one can drastically reduce the sun’s impact of their skin. In fact, the study found that even when individuals were exposed to high energy ultraviolet radiation for five days, the damage to their skin was less than that of the individuals exposed to weaker ultraviolet radiation for just a single day because they applied sufficient amounts of sunscreen while the other group applied none. Therefore, one should still apply sunscreen even for a single outdoor outing and with the proper amount in order to avoid the risk of skin cancer.
Summertime should be a time of enjoyment; it is a time to have a picnic in the park or bask on the beach. It should be carefree. People should relax and be free from worries of the onset skin cancer. Therefore, in addition to being time to soak up the sun, this is the time slather on the sunscreen to ensure this summer is just one of many to come.
The good news is that when adequate amounts of sunscreen are applied, such as 1.3 or 2 milligrams, one can drastically reduce the sun’s impact of their skin. In fact, the study found that even when individuals were exposed to high energy ultraviolet radiation for five days, the damage to their skin was less than that of the individuals exposed to weaker ultraviolet radiation for just a single day because they applied sufficient amounts of sunscreen while the other group applied none. Therefore, one should still apply sunscreen even for a single outdoor outing and with the proper amount in order to avoid the risk of skin cancer.
Summertime should be a time of enjoyment; it is a time to have a picnic in the park or bask on the beach. It should be carefree. People should relax and be free from worries of the onset skin cancer. Therefore, in addition to being time to soak up the sun, this is the time slather on the sunscreen to ensure this summer is just one of many to come.
Featured Image Source: chezbeate
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