When it comes to sun protection, most of us are well aware of the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on our skin. We diligently apply sunscreen on sunny days, seeking shade when the sun is at its peak. However, many people make the mistake of neglecting sun protection when the sky is cloudy. In this blog post, we will explore why UVB protection is crucial, even when the clouds are overhead.
Understanding UVB Radiation:
UV radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the sun. It is divided into three types: UVA, UVB, and UVC. While UVC is mostly absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, UVA and UVB rays reach the Earth's surface. Both UVA and UVB radiation contribute to skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer.
The Role of Clouds:
Clouds can indeed provide some level of protection against UV radiation. They act as a barrier, scattering and absorbing a portion of the sun's rays. However, it's important to note that clouds do not block all UV radiation. In fact, up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate through clouds, depending on their thickness and composition.
UVB Radiation: The Burning Ray:
UVB radiation is particularly responsible for sunburns and plays a key role in the development of skin cancer. Even on cloudy days, a significant amount of UVB radiation can reach the Earth's surface. This means that even if you don't feel the sun's warmth, your skin is still at risk of damage.
Cumulative Effects of UV Exposure:
The effects of UV radiation on the skin are cumulative. This means that each exposure, regardless of whether it results in a sunburn, adds to the overall damage to your skin. Over time, unprotected exposure to UVB radiation can lead to premature aging, wrinkles, dark spots, and an increased risk of developing skin cancer.
Importance of UVB Protection:
Skin Cancer Prevention: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer worldwide, and UV exposure is a significant risk factor. Protecting your skin from UVB radiation can reduce your chances of developing skin cancer.
Premature Aging Prevention: UVB rays contribute to premature aging, including wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots. By using UVB protection, you can maintain healthier, more youthful-looking skin.
Clouds Are Deceptive: Cloudy days can be deceiving, as the absence of direct sunlight might lead you to believe that you're safe from UV damage. However, the level of UV radiation can still be high, and taking precautions is essential.
Protecting Yourself:
To ensure adequate UVB protection, consider the following measures, slip, slop, slap, seek and slide:
Slop - Natural Sunscreen: There are a number of options to replace sunscreens which may be harmful to the environment. Raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil and many others. Worth looking into, or I might just pop a blog about this another time.
Seek - Shade: When outdoors, seek shade under trees, umbrellas, or other forms of shelter to reduce direct exposure to UV radiation.
Slide - Sunglasses: Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
Slip and Slap - Protective clothing: Design Works Apparel specialises in creating UV-protective clothing. Based in Townsville, North Queensland where UV is high throughout the year, they found a necessity for sun-safe clothing. They created the brand that offers various prints that satisfy different interests, for all the outdoor lovers out there, regardless of their sizes. Their clothing sizes range from a baby 00 to a generous 12XL.
Australia is the sun cancer capital of the world and has the highest Melanoma rate in the world. Melanoma is one of the most serious types of sun cancer and has a big risk of death, but if caught early, it is easily curable and definitely preventable. As they say, prevention is better than cure.
Design Works Apparel aims to make sun protection accessible and maximise the outdoor experience. Their clothing encourages everyone to go out more and take on a healthy lifestyle whilst protecting yourself, your family and your team from the harsh UV rays.
Comments