Skin Damage and the Sun

Effects of sun rays on the skin

The sun emits Ultra Violet radiation (UV) in the form of three rays – UVA, UVB and UVC.
UVC can’t get through the ozone layer but UVA and UVB penetrate both the ozone and our skin, they are the rays that cause skin damage.
UVA rays can penetrate the skin much more deeply than UVB but both types can damage the collagen fibres in the skin, accelerating skin aging.
UVB rays cause sun burn whilst UVA rays cause cell mutation which can trigger skin cancer and accelerate aging.
Although it is important to protect your skin from the sun no matter what your skin type, we need the sun for the production of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is needed for the development and maintenance of healthy bones, muscles and the body’s immune system. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, which is needed for strong bones.
A sun tan results from an increased production of melanin in the skin, and this is our skin’s natural defence against UV damage because melanin blocks some of the rays from damaging the skin tissues. Not everyone develops enough melanin to offer complete protection.

How to protect yourself

Use a sun cream that prevents the damage caused by UVB and UVA rays such as DCL® UVA/UVB chemfree superblock.
SPF stands for ‘sun protection factor’, and is used on sun creams to explain how much extra protection they afford you on top of your skin’s basic protection.
For example, if your skin’s own natural protection against the sun is 12 minutes, then wearing a factor 10 sun cream should mean you are protected for 120 minutes.
Although your skin does heal from the sunburn caused by UVB rays, each incident of it causes irreversible DNA damage and this all contributes to skin problems such as premature aging, wrinkling and skin cancers.
Sun protection should be adhered to throughout the year and not just on summer holidays; the rays from the sun reaching the UK are just as dangerous as anywhere else.
If you really want to be brown or bronzed all year round you should consider spray tanning as a safer and cheaper alternative.

Sun damage is a cumulative effect over time, and some people are more at risk depending on their skin type. For example people with fair skin have a small amount of melanin compared with others, and so will burn more easily. However, every skin type is at risk from sun damage.

Here are some recommendations on appropriate sun protection factors for various skin types
SKIN TYPE	TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TANNING TENDENCIES	RECOMMENDED SPF CREAMS
I	Pale skin, blue eyes: Always burns, never tans	30+
II	Fair skin, blue eyes: Tans after initial burn	30+
III	Darker white skin: Burns easily, tans poorly	20+
IV	Light brown skin: Burns minimally, tans easily	15+
V	Brown skin: Rarely burns, tans darkly and easily	15+
VI	Brown, black skin: Never burns, always tans darkly	15+

Sun Protection we recommend

	DCL® UVA/UVB chemfree superblock SPF 30 Want optimal reflection of harmful UVA and UVB rays away from your skin? DCL has the answer in this sun cream. It is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin and provides lightweight, non-whitening protection.			Sesha Moisturising Sunscreen SPF 30+ Worried about the effects of free radicals on your skin? This moisturising sun cream has a combination of four sunscreens to protect you from sunburn, UVA and UVB rays, free radicals and photo-aging. It also has the added benefit of anti-oxidants and botanicals to keep your skin looking healthy.

	HELIOCARE SPF 50 A daily photoimmuno-protectant which is suitable for all skin types. It contains UVB/UVA filters and natural anti-oxidants which facilitate the repair of sun damaged skin.			AGERA® medical formula UVA/UVB moisturiser SPF 25 This is the perfect way to protect your skin, whether you are sun bathing or having a skin peel. It is suitable for daily use and provides moderate protection against UVA and UVB rays.