Good sun protection is more than just applying sunscreen during trips to the beach.
In addition to causing sunburns, daily exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun also leads to wrinkles, sun-damaged skin, and even skin cancer. However, not all sunscreens are designed to protect your skin from all UV rays. In order to get effective sun protection, choosing the right sunscreen and incorporating sun-protection into a daily routine is vital to keeping skin healthy.
Understanding UV Protection
The ultraviolet light emitted by the sun is classified by its wavelengths: UVA has a wavelength of 400-320 nanometers while UVB wavelength is shorter, at 320-290 nm. The shorter the wavelength the higher energy level of the light and the greater potential for damage to your skin. Thus, UVB with its shorter wavelength can be more damaging to your skin than UVA exposure. UVB exposure is thought to be responsible for most sunburns and skin damage while UVA may be more involved in skin aging as well as the formation of certain skin cancers.
A good sunscreen needs to be able to block both UVA and UVB rays, and because both of these rays are present even on cloudy days, your skin needs daily sun protection. Most sunscreens block UVB quite effectively, but not all have the active ingredients (such as avobenzone, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide) that block UVA. While sunscreen is an important part of a person's total sun protection strategy, it cannot stop all of the harmful effects of sun exposure alone. The American Cancer Society recommends that anyone out in the sun cover up as much possible, wear sunscreen on any exposed skin (an SPF of 15 or higher), and also wear a hat to provide maximum protection. Avoiding the sun at the middle of the day when UV rays are at their peak whenever possible is also recommended to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Three Types of Skin Cancer
There are three major forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, generally occurring in persons who are frequently outdoors. This type of cancer typically occurs on the head and neck and can invade neighboring nerves and bone, but rarely spreads throughout the body. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer and seems to affect those who sunburn easily, are fair-skinned, and have red or blond hair. Unlike basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma typically will spread throughout the body if left untreated. Malignant melanoma is the rarest but most deadly form of skin cancer because it metastasizes easily. It does not necessarily occur on sun-exposed areas of the body (like the head or neck) or in people who work out-of-doors. Instead this type of cancer is thought to be linked to brief but intense periods of sun exposure, such as severe sunburns in childhood. While melanoma represents only about 3% of the nearly 2 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed yearly, it accounts for almost 80% of skin cancer deaths and its incidence is on the rise.
