Health & Fitness

3 Harmful Effects UV Rays Can Have on Your Skin

As the weather heats up and the sun comes out, people are getting their Summer plans in order. Beach trips, walks in the park, and picnics are just a few of the activities people can’t wait to do. While we’re out enjoying the outdoors, most of us love soaking up the sun and embracing the heat. But, did you know that overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin beyond repair? Although sunlight can be really invigorating, it can also cause a lot of health problems. Keep reading to learn how UV rays can negatively impact the state of your skin.

Accelerated Aging

Whether we like it or not, aging is in our future. However, premature aging is not. Accelerated aging of the skin isn’t something that naturally happens as it’s usually due to outside factors, such as UV rays. When your first layer of skin, the epidermis, comes into direct contact with ultraviolet light, the radiation causes collagen to break down, which slows the reproduction of the essential protein. Collagen is one of the main structural components responsible for parts of your body such as your skin, bones, and muscles. As your collagen breaks down and slows, fine lines and wrinkles can occur. If you are someone already seeing the signs of accelerated aging due to the sun’s harsh rays, you may want to invest in an anti-aging cream to help combat the effects. These serums tend to have clinical strength vitamins that can help treat sun-damaged skin.

Sunburn

Most people have experienced sunburn at least once in their lifetime, but probably don’t think anything of it. Although getting sunburn here or there isn’t cause for immediate panic, getting burned more often than not is. Normally, when one is exposed to the sun for too long, the skin burns but it then repairs itself over the course of a few days. If you’re not giving your skin time to fully heal from the damages it’s previously undergone, however, your mild case of sunburn can potentially turn much more severe. There are many ways to relieve sunburn, but remedies can only help so much, and they cannot reverse the damage done by direct sunlight. That’s why it’s best to take precautionary measures before going out into the sun for a long period of time. If you don’t, sun exposure can possibly damage your skin so badly that it is unable to repair itself, which leads us to the most severe problem— skin cancer.

Skin Cancer

Getting repeatedly sunburned can directly increase your chances of getting skin cancer. How so? Because when your cells are damaged due to UV rays, sometimes the DNA is altered. When enough of your cell’s DNA has been altered, they group together creating a cancerous cluster. Melanoma, along with a few other skin cancers, is likely to appear in people who have been overexposed to harmful ultraviolet light. To keep safe during the Summer and help prevent detrimental cancers, use a high SPF sunscreen whenever you go out, even if you’re only going out for a short period of time. Apply sunscreen to every part of your body that’s left open, including your face. Putting on sunscreen takes very little effort, yet saves you from so much.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to soak up as much sun as you can during the warmer months. However, you should be aware of the negative effects that can arise as a result of direct exposure to UV rays. Make sure you’re taking precautions when outdoors, so you can have a stress-free Summer!

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