UVA & UVB Rays, And Their Effect On Our Skin
Who doesn’t love the warm and soothing feel of the sun hitting your skin? It’s one of those simple pleasures in life that we can’t seem to get enough of. And to be fair, our skin needs Vitamin D for optimal health. But too much of a good thing can be detrimental to our health and beauty.
I’m sure you’ve heard of Ultraviolet A, aka “UVA,” and Ultraviolet B, aka “UVB” rays, but do you actually know what they are and their effects on us? UVA and UVB rays are the two types of sun rays that penetrate the earth’s surface. They are also responsible for speeding up our aging process, and both have a hand in causing skin cancer. Uggh, am I right?
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but – skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the USA and worldwide. So stocking up on SPF seems like a small task in comparison to the alternative possibility.
Let’s start with UVA – It’s the long-wave light that reaches deep into our skin and accounts for roughly 95% of the UV light that touches us. UVA is also known as the Aging Ray, thinking of it as UV-Aging. This SOB is also capable of traveling through glass windows. So if you thought you were safe from the harmful sun rays inside, think again (there’s no escape!!). That is why it’s so crucial to wear and reapply your sunscreen every day! UVA is around us all day, every day, all year round, anywhere in the world. Even on cloudy, snowy days.
Known as the sun’s silent killer, UVA is not felt on the skin, like a sunburn (product of UVB); it works in a deeper layer of our skin, wreaking havoc. UVA is responsible for most of our skin woes: wrinkles, loss of elasticity and firmness, dark spots, fine lines, age spots, overall cause of pre-mature aging, and is a factor in every type of skin cancer. Yikes!!
Now to UVB – They have a shorter wave-length, so they don’t penetrate as deep into the skin as UVA, but are still very powerful and can cause serious damage. Responsible for giving us sunburns, UVB has earned the nickname the “Burning Ray.” UVB = UV-Burn. Therefore, UVB can cause discolorations on our skin and are directly related to skin cancers.
Although UVB rays are present year-round, they are more prevalent during “sunny” times and locations. UVB is at its strongest at high altitudes, so if you’re a skier, snowboarder, mountain climber, mountain biker, or avid flyer – keep your sunscreen nearby!!
Both UVA & UVB are reflected off of water, sand, and snow. Remember to use and reapply your sunscreens, always, but especially between the hours of 10 AM – 4 PM, that’s when the sun rays are at their peak capacity to do some real damage! When looking for sunscreens, look for the “Broad Spectrum” label; this means that that particular product will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. Yayyy, finally some good news!! Just make sure you read the label and follow the instructions on how to safely use the product.
Go out there, enjoy the outdoors, and soak up some of that Vitamin D – responsibly of course
XO – Pachee
