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Monday, September 3, 2012

The Sun and Your Health

By Sophie Redcar


Most of us will know the pain and discolouration caused by sunburn, and the peeling skin that results. However, most of us will probably forget about it once the visible symptoms and soreness go away. Some of us may wonder how we can burn in water, and this can come as a surprise to those who have spent the day in the pool or the sea, not felt any burning and come out of the pool for lunch or at the end of the day to find their skin an unhealthy red.

As well as light and heat, the sun also gives off potentially harmful ultraviolet, or UV, radiation. There are two main types of UV radiation that reach the Earth's surface, UVA and UVB. The sun also gives off UVC which is more dangerous than either A or B, however this is absorbed by the atmosphere at high altitude and thus solar UVC radiation poses no risk to human health.

However, there are ways to enjoy the sun without risking your health. The most obvious way to avoid skin damage is to stay indoors or in the shade while the sun is strongest, however the majority of holidaymakers will have travelled to sunnier climes not to dodge the sun, but to make the most of it, and will stray into the sun during the middle of the day. Those that choose to go out in the sun have two main ways to protect themselves from the symptoms of overexposure - first is covering up, such as wearing t-shirts or other clothes to cover the skin, and absorb any incoming UV radiation.

Repeated sunburn can lead to permanent skin damage, or even skin cancer, therefore it is important to ensure that you are well protected from sun exposure when the sun is strong. Protecting yourself, however, is simple. The main ways of preventing skin damage are covering up and using sun cream. The first one is the most effective as clothing absorbs ultraviolet radiation before it gets to the skin. The second is preferable for those that like to return from their holidays with a tan as a reminder of the time they spent abroad, or feel that a tan makes them more attractive.

Finally, many health insurance providers recommend taking preventative action against sunburn, as not only can sunburn-induced melanoma trigger a claim, but getting health insurance following being diagnosed with melanoma may be difficult and could trigger an exclusion for cancer or a greatly increased premium, or worse yet a declination of cover altogether.




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