Are you sufficiently protected from the sun?

Summertime and the living may be easy but are we sure we are taking sufficient sun protection during the hottest season?

As explained by the National Geographic Society, “the sun is an extraordinary star, one of about 100 billion in our galaxy, the Milky Way.”?It is in the heart of our Solar System and is made up of ultraviolet and infrared radiation - essential for life on Earth.?

Without the sun, the planet would be inhabitable - just a vast frozen wasteland.

It goes without saying that the sun can bring great joy to many of us. It's warmth and light can boost our mood, improve blood circulation, and promote overall well-being. It plays a crucial role in keeping us healthy.?In fact getting a healthy dose of vitamin D with just 15-20 minutes of sun exposure without any burning or reddening of the skin is believed to be a good thing. But let's not forget that the sun can be a double-edged sword and cause severe damage to our health.?As much as we love the sun and its warmth, we must be careful and take appropriate measures to protect ourselves from its harmful effects.?

We are all no doubt aware that excessive or prolonged presence in the heat of the sun can cause sunburn but what happens next? Sunburn is skin damage and our body's response to try to repair it. It is also a clear sign that the DNA in skin cells has been damaged by too much UV radiation.

Getting sunburn, just once every two years, can triple your risk of melanoma skin cancer.

UV may damage the DNA in our skin cells by producing genetic defects or mutations which can lead to skin cancer and premature aging, but what exactly is UV? ...

There are 3 different types of UV; UV A, UV B and UV C

1. UV A rays contributes to skin burns, skin cancer and wrinkling. They have a longer wavelength and penetrate the deeper layer of the skin (dermis)
2. UV B rays are the main cause of sunburns and contribute to the development of skin cancer. UV B rays have a short wavelength and reach and damage the outer layout of skin called the epidermis.
3. UV C radiation is blocked by the ozone layer and does not reach the earth. UV C rays are artificially generated in certain industrial processes.

For all the sun worshippers out there, the World Health Organisation has created a universal index that illustrates when it is advisable to take sun protection - and to be clear, that's at UV level 3 and above on the UV Index, even if cloudy! This is particularly important for outdoor workers. As a sensible course of action, as soon as the UV Index reaches level 3, outdoor workers should be reaching for their sun cream, hat, sun glasses and cool coveralls.

So, it's pretty clear that the sun's rays can be detrimental to our health, even though it's millions of kilometres away from us. We all know that too much of anything is never good, and this applies to sun exposure as well. While it's essential to soak up some sunshine, it's vital to keep a tab on the UV Index levels. After all, we wouldn't want to end up like Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and suffered the consequences. Therefore, let's enjoy the warmth of the sun but take necessary precautions to protect ourselves from the harmful UV rays.