UV radiation – how does it affect humans? Safe tanning rules

Proven content

Many manufacturers of creams and other skin care cosmetics boast about the effectiveness of their products in protecting against UV radiation. However, few people know what UV radiation actually is, what its harmfulness is and how to protect against its negative impact on our health.

The most important facts about UV radiation

As we know from physics lessons at school, the sun emits electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths. We distinguish the following ranges of these waves:

1. infrared,
2. visible light,
3. ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Samo UV radiation is divided into three types:

1. UVC radiation, most of which is absorbed by the ozone layer of our planet’s atmosphere and therefore has little effect on humans;
2. UVB radiation. It accounts for 5% of UV rays reaching the Earth’s surface. It takes different intensity depending on the season and day. It is strongest in the summer between 10 a.m. and 15 p.m., especially on a clear day, because it is stopped by clouds. It is this type of radiation that causes the synthesis of melanins responsible for a tan, but also sunburn, and even neoplastic changes;
3. UVA radiation. This is the remaining 95% of the UV radiation reaching Earth. Its intensity is independent of the time of day and season, and the rays penetrate the clouds, glass and human epidermis. They reach the deep layers of the skin and cause changes in them. The same type of UV radiation is also emitted by lamps in solariums.

What is the effect of UV radiation on humans?

Contrary to popular opinion, UV radiation it’s not just harmful. One of the benefits of sunbathing is that UV rays stimulate the production of valuable vitamin D3 in the skin. This compound is important for the proper functioning of the immune system, muscle function and the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. UV rays they can also help with some skin diseases, such as acne or atopic dermatitis.

Unfortunately, too high doses UV radiation already have a negative effect on humans. UVA radiation has a documented effect on the aging of skin tissues. It causes the formation of free radicals, which reduce the production of collagen responsible for skin firmness and elasticity. At the same time, elastin fibers, which are important for the extensibility of the skin, degenerate. As a result, the skin becomes saggy, loses its firmness and becomes wrinkled. There is no doubt that such skin features add years to our appearance. To reduce this effect, you can use Bioherba Prickly Pear Serum for mature skin.

Worse, appearance is not the biggest problem that excessive dosages can cause UV radiation. It’s known that UV radiation it can also cause skin changes, such as the formation of moles and solar keratosis. These, in turn, have a predisposition to transform into skin cancers such as melanoma.

If you cannot sunbathe, but you want your skin to have a beautiful tan, you can use self-tanning or bronzing products that care for the skin at the same time, such as Bioherba Natural Face Self-tanning Cream or Moisturizing Bronzing Cream from the same brand.

If your body has been exposed to UV radiation for too long, it could irritate or even burn your skin. In order to care for the body, use soothing, cooling and moisturizing preparations. Try for example:

1. Panthenol 5% for sun and thermal burns,
2. Emulsion with vitamin E for the whole Panthenol Family.

How to protect yourself from UV radiation?

If you plan to spend time in the sun in the summer, you should definitely get a cream with sunscreen. The best ones will be those with a factor above 30 SPF. Some complexions and skin types may need even more protection, up to 50 SPF. When the radiation is weaker, you can also use creams and a lower filter, eg Embryolisse nourishing and protective cream with SPF 20 filter. You can also try a BB cream with SPF 20 from Embryolisse. Here are some tips to help you use sunscreen to best suit its purpose:

1. Regardless of the power of the cream, avoid sunbathing during the hours of the highest intensity of UVB radiation, i.e. between 10 and 15.
2. The skin should be used to tanning gradually. Start with short exposures with a high-factor cream to gradually extend the time spent in the sun, and possibly change to a cream with a lower factor.
3. It is worth renewing the cream layer every 2 hours. Also, if you spend time by the water, you must reapply the cream after each bath.
4. The sunscreen in creams has a limited expiration date. The cream from the previous season will most likely no longer have its protective properties. We recommend stick sunscreen cream from Shaka Sun.
5. In the fight against UV rays, it is also worth taking care of appropriate clothes: light, loose, preferably made of cotton or linen.

The skin will be protected against the harmful effects of UV radiation, among others. Plum cream for mature skin Bioherba, as well as a light anti-wrinkle cream with a UV filter SPF 45+ of the same brand.

In addition to protecting the skin, you also need to be mindful of the impact UV rays on our eyes. It has been proven that exposure to UV radiation affects the deterioration of eyesight. Therefore, you should always remember to wear sunglasses on sunny days. It is definitely not worth saving on them and it is best to buy them in a good optician’s shop – this is the only way we can guarantee that their tinted glass will be equipped with filter UV protecting our eyes. Cheap glasses without such filters, known from stalls in coastal towns, can have the opposite effect, as looking through dark glasses causes pupils to dilate. Thus, if UV radiation is not filtered, more of it can reach our eyes than without glasses!

1. For better protection against radiation, reach for Healthy Tan – Panaseus dietary supplement available on Medonet Market at a promotional price.

Outside the summer months, protection against UV radiation it depends on the type of skin. People with fair complexion, as well as numerous moles and moles on the skin are particularly exposed to the negative effects of UVA rays. In that case, consider using sunscreen all year round. For example, HYDRA ESSENCE Cream Moisturizing and protecting Sensilis, which protects the skin against photoaging.

It is worth noting that mineral filters are the best for skin tanning.

Do you want to protect your skin from the sun and at the same time even out its color? We recommend soothing BB cream SPF 15 Vianek with Echinacea purple extract and allantoin, which is intended for the care of sensitive and irritated skin.

We recommend cosmetics that protect the body against UV rays, which you can buy at Medonet Market.