Why and How to Protect your Skin from the Sun

Most of us love a day out in the sun, whether the beach, the countryside, or golf course. And why not? But hey, miss out one important factor, like skin protection, and you could be at risk from skin disease, the most serious being skin cancer.

Like most parts of our body, skin can develop cancer. Cancer is a result of an uncontrolled cell growth in one part of the body.

Unlike normal cells which are programmed to divide, grow, and die at a certain time, cancer cells lack the internal machinery to control growth and as a result cause severe damage to normal cells that will be outnumbered along the process in a certain biological locality. Some cells even detach from their point of origin and travel to other parts of the body to start a new colony of cancer cells.

Skin cancer is either melanoma or non-melanoma. Non-melanomas are cancers which arise from skin cells other than melanocyte cells. Melanomas are cancerous melanocyte cells that produce melanin, a pigment that gives the skin its characteristic color.

The sun is one of the key enemies of the skin. Light to moderate sun exposure is beneficial, as it helps the skin synthesize vitamin D (cholecalciferol), but excessive or lengthy exposure, and right, you've guessed it, skin damage, and unsightly wrinkles appear.

How does the sun cause such damage? Sunlight that passes through earth is composed of visible light and ultraviolet light (UV). UVA and UVB Light are one of the most common ultraviolet lights. UV lights cannot be detected with the naked human eye, and can only be seen with the aid of a sophisticated instrument, which works by measuring differing wavelengths of light across the light spectrum.

The two UV light factors differ in their capacity to cause irreparable skin damage. UVB light doesn't get through the deeper layer of the skin and accounts for visible burns and DNA damage across the top layer of the skin.

UVA light, on the other hand, penetrates through the deeper layer of the skin and activates free radicals (very reactive substances), which cause small damages to the skin. Cumulative damage accounts for the skin's premature aging.

So to maintain the healthy, youthful glow of one's skin, it is helpful to understand how the bad effects of the sun's ultraviolet or UV rays come into action.

The penetration ability of the harmful UV-A and UV-B rays is staggering. They can pass through clouds, thick layers of glass, a meter of water, and, unsurprisingly, the layers of the skin. UV-B affects the top layers of the skin, which causes chemicals to release, which in turn expands the blood vessel, causing fluid to leak. The result is inflammation, pain and redness, more commonly known as sunburn. This damage can occur within as little as 15 minutes and can continue to worsen for up to 72 hours after sun exposure. The damaged skin cells in the process will die and "molt off" in sheets or pictures. Peeling is the process in which the body disposes of dead skin cells. UV-A rays are those that get into the deeper layers of the skin. This penetrates the skin surface, and affecting the cells underneath. These rays not only bring about long-term damage such as sagging, wrinkles and discoloration, they also pave the way for early stages of skin cancer.

The UV rays act like chain saws, shredding deep into the DNA (the genetic material, with a very precise structure, specific order and specific coding) found within the cell nuclei. Repair enzymes within the cell act by countering the damage done on the DNA chain in the shortest time possible. Ideally the simultaneous and continuous damage and repair will maintain equilibrium.

But just like any other bodily mechanism, these repair enzymes have their limits and can reach a point after which they can no longer work. When the damage is too much (which occurs even before the skin turns red), the enzymes cannot cope. The result is a dismantled DNA structure which leads to abnormality of skin cells or what is termed as mutation. This is the first stage in a process of cancer cells forming. The harmful UV rays from the sun promote the formation of the extremely toxic chemical range of superoxides, resulting in the acceleration of skin cell aging.

So who exactly is most at risk of developing skin cancer? People who have already experienced three or more bad cases of sunburn before reaching the age of twenty and regular sunbathers have greater risks of contracting melanoma. Sports folk like cricketers, and golfers, also farmers, to name a few, whose lifestyle exposes them to the sun for long periods, are vulnerable to milder forms of skin cancer. If you are in one of these groups, take particular care.

After learning how the skin reacts to sunlight here is some information on preventing its harmful effects.

To lower the danger of contracting skin cancer, experts strongly recommend using a good quality sunscreen.

Research shows that exposure to sunlight without sunscreen should be less than 10 to 15 minutes at noon, when the sun is at its strongest. Your sunscreen's SPF factor should be at least 15, according to experts. People with sensitive skin, such as babies, and older adults should use an SPF of 30 or stronger because their skin tends to burn more easily. People with allergies or sensitive skin should also take note of the ingredients they contain and choose products that are free of chemicals, dyes, preservatives, and alcohol.

If sun exposure will be particularly high, use a stronger sunscreen that will completely block sunlight from reaching the skin. Sunscreen application should be about half an hour before exposure to the sun and the product should be reapplied every few hours; Take special care whilst swimming; as much as 98% of the sun's harmful UV rays can pass through water.

Remember, however good your skin-care product is, you should never assume that it has sun protecting abilities unless the label confirms this. Always check out the SPF rating before your purchase.

There is no reason why you should not enjoy the sun, and still benefit from a healthy skin, when you use strict skin care processes.