If we ask someone what are the effects of the sun on skin, the first thing they will probably answer is that it tans you.
This is true, but we should know that the sun’s rays are necessary in small quantities but are very harmful to our skin if we overdo it.
Tanning is nothing more than a response to an aggression such as ultraviolet rays.
Excessive exposure to the sun can have very serious consequences, from sunburn and skin ageing to skin cancer.
So, we cannot sunbathe? Yes, but with a sense of caution.
What are the effects of the sun on skin?
As we explained in the post “How sunscreen works“, the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun consists of (among others) UVA rays – responsible for tanning and skin ageing – and UVB rays – responsible for erythema, hyperpigmentation, cancer… Let us see what are the effects of the sun on skin.
- Tanning: This is the most sought-after effect of the sun for everyone. We love to be tanned for as many months of the year as possible.
Thank God, this trend is changing, and we are increasingly associating a skin tone with healthy and beautiful skin.
The tanned colour we have in the summer months is the reaction of skin cells to the sun’s rays. - Vitamin D synthesis: Vitamin D is “sunlight”. Our body produces enough vitamin D when we are exposed to direct sunlight for a few minutes a day.
This vitamin is important for our body because it helps our body to absorb calcium well and therefore directly affects bone formation and the maintenance of optimal bone health.
Vitamin D deficiency can cause osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children.
- Burns: Many times, in order to get a more intense tan, we spend too much time in the sun without the necessary protection and end up with sunburn. This is one of the worst effects of the sun on skin.
The skin becomes red and feels hot to the touch, and the skin is much more sensitive and painful to the touch. Often the burns can be severe and can even cause blistering.
Normally, after a few days, the body starts to peel, the skin regenerates and may do so unevenly and in a different colour. - Ageing: Most of the signs of premature ageing are caused by solar radiation, one of the most feared effects of the sun.
When the sun hits our skin, it causes damage to the DNA of the skin cells and as a consequence, less collagen and elastin is produced and as a direct consequence, the elasticity of the skin decreases.
This loss of elasticity causes wrinkles, so skin that is overexposed to the sun will look more wrinkled over the years than skin that has been well protected.
It will also cause hyperpigmentation of the skin – spots – which for the most part are not malignant, but are very unsightly and difficult to remove.
- Sun allergies: Yes, the sun can also cause allergies. When the allergy is mild, the rash disappears when sun exposure is eliminated, but more serious cases may require pharmacological treatment in the form of creams or oral tablets.
- Skin cancer: There are different types of skin cancer, but all have the sun as the main risk factor, and it is the most dangerous effect of the sun.
As mentioned above, solar radiation causes DNA damage and mutations, and one of these can lead to cancer.
It can manifest itself in many ways, such as moles, hyperpigmentation, reddish spots, peeling skin… that is why we must be very attentive to the changes and signals that our skin sends us in order to diagnose it as soon as possible, as early diagnosis is essential for a good cure.
As we have seen, unprotected exposure to the sun leads to many problems at the moment and especially in the future.
We must be especially careful when we do outdoor activities (sport, walking…) because we must also protect ourselves in these cases and not only when we go to the beach or to the swimming pool to avoid all these problems.
And you, do you protect yourself from the sun on a daily basis? If you want to comment on any effects of the sun on the skin, leave a comment :)!
