While it may be difficult to think about right now with the ongoing, cold winter weather, the warmer months are not too far away. For countless people, that means that they will be spending more time in the sun. What many people do not take into account, is the effect that the sun’s UV rays have on your skin each time you are exposed. Whether you are working on your tan or you end up getting a sunburn, each time you are in the sun it affects the integrity of your skin. Today we’d like to examine some of the things that happen to your skin when it’s exposed to the sun.
Sunburns
Most individuals who have spent time in the sun have probably experienced a sunburn at some point in their lives. Sunburns are caused when the skin is exposed to too much ultraviolet (UV) rays, which means that the burn affects the outer layers of the skin. If the sunburn is considered to be more severe, it can end up damaging, and possibly killing the deeper layers of your skin cells. As a result of this damage, cells can begin to mutate, which often leads to the development of skin cancer.
While a few sunburns may not seem dangerous, they certainly can be. The number of sunburns that you have gotten throughout your life, the frequency that they have occurred, and the severity of the sunburn all greatly affect the integrity of your skin. After a sunburn, your skin may not be able to heal the way that it should due to things like aging and potential damage to the cells. Each time the skin needs to rejuvenate itself, it may not have the same capability to heal.This increases the risk that mutilated DNA cells could start to grow and divide. This signifies the beginning stages of skin cancer.
Protecting your skin
Knowing that the damage caused by continued sun exposure and sunburns can lead to skin cancer, it is important to always practice safe sun measures. This includes applying sunscreen to your entire body before going into the sun and reapplying throughout the day. Additionally, wearing UV protective clothing can help protect your skin, thus reducing the risk of developing skin cancer in the future.
Preparing for the warmer months now by purchasing all new sunscreens, pulling out protective clothing, and planning on how much you should be in the sun can all help reduce the risk of sun damage in the future, increasing your likelihood of living a long, cancer-free life.
