Sun-kissed or sun damaged, are you as safe as you think when sunbathing?
"There is a misconception that the darker the skin, the less damage the sun can cause and therefore many people are not looking after their skin and protecting themselves from the rays of the sun," said Mario Correia, brand manager for Everysun.
We are often told to cover up and stay out of the sun as it can prematurely age our skin, but how concerned should we be?
According to a study conducted by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 80% of all extrinsic ageing in Caucasian women is due to UVA and UVB rays.
However, the NCBI also noted that it is not only fair skin that is affected by the sun, darker skin tones can experience hyperpigmentation.
Although other elements like diet and lifestyle choices such as smoking can contribute to premature ageing, the sun is still the main culprit.
UVB rays are responsible for your sunburn and even though they have short wavelengths not allowing them to penetrate deeply into the skin, these can still do a fair amount of damage to the outer layers of the skin.
UVA light rays are more dangerous than UVB rays, as they can penetrate deeper.
This type of ray is what we are exposed to most of the time, and what is responsible for reducing our skin’s natural elasticity, increasing the chances of wrinkles and pigmentation.
When our skin comes into contact with these rays it uses melanin to protect itself.
These cells help our skin to absorb the sunlight, dissipate it as heat, and then work to repair the damage done by free radicals spreading UV rays.
The more UV rays we are exposed to, the more melanin cells are produced which is how a tan is created.
Unfortunately, not everyone can produce enough melanin to protect their skin, allowing the sunlight to penetrate this barrier. Those who produce too much melanin experience hyperpigmentation.
To combat this, stay out of the sun from 10am to 4pm, wear a hat and always use a high SPF sunscreen, even in winter.
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