Different Types of Ultraviolet Rays
We hear more about Ultraviolet Rays these days than we’ve had in the past; and that’s fantastic. Information on harmful UV rays translates directly to more education about them. And the more Melanoma and skin cancer awareness the public consumes, the more apt people are to either begin, or to continue, practicing sun-safety.
What are UV Rays?
‘UV’ stands for ultraviolet. The short answer to the question is that an ultraviolet ray is a form of radiation released by the sun. Those rays which penetrate the earth’s atmosphere and reach unprotected humans can cause sun skin damage in fewer than twenty minutes. This is why dermatologists, blogs like ours and other relevant sources never miss a chance to remind people about the importance of the recurrent use of sunscreen. A strong enough product will block close to 100% of UV rays from piercing your skin.
While UV rays cause Melanoma and other types of skin cancer, they are also responsible for various amounts of lesser skin damage; such as wrinkles and prematurely-aged skin. But is there only one type? The answer is no.
Different Types of UV Rays
Not all UV rays are created equal. The sun sends three different types our way: UVA, UVB and UVC. The cited shareupmc.com piece linked below provides information, along with a succinct chart, explaining the differences. We’ll summarize it here.
The good news is the worst of the lot, UVC rays, are caught and absorbed by the earth’s atmosphere before they can reach us. However, there are a few things we create that produce them. Like welding torches and mercury lamps, for example.*
Both UVA and UVB rays do get through though, and certainly affect us. UVB concentrates on the skin’s surface, and is responsible for skin cancer, sunburns and DNA damage.* UVA rays aren’t stopped by windows or clouds, either. They get past the surface into the skin’s second layer, are employed in tanning beds and will cause sun skin damage.*
All of three of these UV rays are problematic for us. The best thing we can do is to protect ourselves from them by focusing on sun-safety every day.
*Source article: Shareupmc.com
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