Understand the Effects of Different UV Rays

In this era of human-caused climate change, Ultraviolet radiation, or UVR, is of increasing concern to many people. Because our ozone layer has continued to thin, activities that once felt safe, like sunbathing, have begun to feel too risky. However, some sun exposure is useful for vitamin D production and for your overall health. Knowing the facts about UVR will help you get the perfect amount of sun!

Steps

Limiting Your Exposure to UVA Rays

1. Study the definition of UVA rays. UVA rays are a kind of ultraviolet ray and are part of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM). Radiation that comes from the sun and includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, X-rays and gamma-rays. Of all the UV rays, UVA has the longest wavelength and the mildest intensity. Like UVB, it can penetrate the earth's atmosphere: in fact, 95% of the solar radiation that reaches Earth is UVA.
   • UV rays make up 10% of the sunlight.
2. Learn the effect of UVA on your body. UVA tans you, but does not cause sunburns. However, it ages your skin and can cause skin cancers. UVA penetrates your second layer of skin, where it mimics the effects of age, damaging tissues so that you get premature wrinkles.
3. Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect yourself from UVA rays. Broad-spectrum (also called full-spectrum) sunscreen blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Get in the habit of applying sunblock 20 minutes before you leave the house or sit by a window. Apply at least a shot glass to your whole body when sunbathing.
   • Because it doesn't cause sunburns, you probably won't notice if you're getting too much UVA.
   • Wear sunscreen indoors and on cloudy days. Wear sunscreen even when it's cloudy. UVA rays penetrate clouds.
   • Avoid long exposure during peak hours (typically 10am-2pm).
   • UVA rays go right through glass. Draw the shades or apply sunscreen before you sit in the window.
4. Avoid tanning beds to protect yourself from overexposure to the rays. Tanning beds work by radiating UVA. It may not seem harmful, since you don't get sunburns from it, but people who frequently use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop skin cancer than others.

Understanding the Effects of UVB Rays

1. Get your vitamin D and other health benefits from UVB. UVB produces vitamin D in your skin. Therefore, while too much UVB is dangerous, some UVB exposure is good for your mood and your health. In most climates, and for most people, 15 minutes a day of sun between 10am and 3pm will provide sufficient vitamin D. However, people with darker skin may need to spend a little more time, or take a vitamin D supplement.
   • If you have pale skin, allowing yourself enough sun exposure to tan gradually and slightly can actually protect you from harmful effects of UVR.
   • UV exposure may release endorphins and improve your mood, but relying on sunbathing for relaxation can be dangerous, and even create addictive behavioral patterns. Limit your sun exposure, even though it feels good.
2. Use sunglasses and an SPF 30 sunscreen to block most UVB rays. UVB causes most sunburns, because it directly affects your very top layer of skin, and can burn you within 15 minutes. UVB are believed to cause most skin cancers, though UVA is also involved.
   • Use sunscreen with a high SPF, or sun protection factor, which measures how much protection against UVB rays a sunscreen provides.
   • There is no equivalent measure for protection against UVA rays.
   • Avoid bright sunlight, especially during the brightest hours of the day, and wear sunscreen and clothing to protect your skin.
   • Wear sunglasses on sunny days, especially if you are in a snowy area.
   • Your hair and your clothing will also protect you from UVB rays.
3. Get informed about UVB and farming. UVB rays inhibit photosynthesis in many plants. Increased UVB has decreased the size and quality of crops such as cotton, soybeans, wheat, and corn. Increased UVB also damages the immune systems of plants, making them more susceptible to diseases. In the future, this could mean the mass extinction of plant species on which we rely for nutrients, clothing, and fuel.
4. Discover the connection between UVB and carbon. UVB slows the productivity of phytoplankton, the microscopic marine algae that float in the ocean and feed on sunlight. Phytoplankton provide food for countless marine animals, such as whales, jellyfish, shrimp, and snails. They also store carbon. Phytoplankton are essential to maintaining our carbon cycle: too much UVB in the atmosphere would reduce their numbers, massively disrupting the world's carbon cycle.
5. Learn about UVB and clouds. Unlike UVA, UVB is filtered by clouds. Thick, evenly distributed clouds block most UVB from the earth. However, in some cases, clouds can actually reflect UVB rays. Tall and puffy clouds on an otherwise sunny day can increase your exposure to UVB by a few percentage points.
   • Thin clouds only block about 20% of UVB rays.
6. Expect greater UVB damage in the future. Most UVB rays are blocked by the ozone layer. For a while it seemed like human-caused thinning of the ozone layer was on the mend, but recent studies show that our ozone layer is still damaged, and getting worse in all populated areas of the globe.
   • That means more disruptions of natural ecosystems that result in mass extinctions.
   • More UVB means more cancer, more spleen damage, and the weakening of various immune responses in the human body, including the ones that suppresses herpes simplex virus and skin lesions.

Learning About UVC Rays

1. Limit your exposure to technology that emits UVC. UVC rays do not reach the earth from the sun, as they are absorbed by the earth's atmosphere. Instead, they come from human technology, such as mercury lamps or welding torches. UVC used to be used in tanning beds, but now they are primarily UVA.
2. Protect weakened skin from UVC. UVC rays are not considered a risk for cancer or sunburn, as the rays are typically absorbed the dead skin on the surface of your body. However, if you have a scrape, try to keep it away from direct exposure to UVC rays, as UVC may cause reddening.
3. Exercise caution if you are a welder. Arc welding significantly increases your exposure to all UV rays, and raises your risk of cancer and other skin damage. When you are welding, wear broad-spectrum sunscreen, gloves, and long sleeves.
   • While most people do not need to buy UVC-resistant sunscreen, it may be beneficial to arc welders.

Quick Summary

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