UV Benefits and Risks

UV is very much associated with sun burn, premature aging and skin cancer, and yet we feel blissed out when we sunbathe and we are happy when the sun is shining. Find out more about the importance of exposing to sunlight and how to expose to the sun wisely.

What UV? A, B, C, 3 different UVs with different effects

UVA (320-400 nm): increases seratonin level (1) (feel good neurotransmitter) but also linked to photoaging and likely to cause skin cancer
UVB (290-320 nm): essential for Vitamin D production in the skin, but also linked to sunburn and skin cancer
UVC gets filtered out by the Ozone layer

Vitamin D, the sun hormone and its role

Vitamin D and its metabolites are essential for good health:
-it promotes bone formation by maintaining Calcium and Phosphorus concentrations
-it stimulates immunogenic and antitumor activity
-it enhances Calcium absorption in the intestine and kidneys
Its deficiency is linked to rickets in children, osteoporosis (2,3), and some forms of cancers (there is a scientific debate on this)
Dietary intake of vitamin D is very difficult as few foods contain vitamin D (salmon, mackerel, sardines) and at too low concentration to be really effective.
Sunlight is the best way to get vitamin D.

How to get Vitamin D safely

There is not a simple recipe for this: UV emissions change according to the time of the day, the season and the solar elevation (latitude)4! Besides the darker the skin the less UV reaches the deeper skin layers and the longer it takes to produce Vitamin D. People with dark skin need longer sun exposure to get their vitamin D.
Considering location and skin type are major variables the tips below are given for fair skinned people in the UK in the summer:
-Never ever sunburn!
-Get a brief unprotected sun exposure: 10 minutes of sunbathing at midday exposing arms and legs without wearing a SPF (the more skin exposed the more vitamin D is produced) give the highest amount of Vitamin D (5) -Wear a good SPF on the face and hands while sunbathing to prevent photoaging
10 minutes of sun exposure at midday (in the UK) are much more effective than 1 hour between 4 and 5 pm. If you want to find put how much sun you need to get according to your location and skin type please visit the link on NADIR

SPF, unnecessary protection in winter months

In the UK winter sunlight is very weak, meaning that between November and February no vitamin D is produced and no UV protection is required. Applying products with SPF during this period is pointless and it exposes the skin to unnecessary chemicals.

The iRejuvenate 2 steps system by Forest Secrets Skincare contains no SPF for maximum flexibility: you decide when it is time to apply SPF on your face or when it is time to wear a hat!

1 Impact of UVA exposure on psychological parameters and circulating seratonin and melatonin, Gambichler, Bader... BMC Dermatology, 2002, 2-6
2 Vitamin D: importance in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis, Micheal Holick, Am J Clin Nutr, 2004, 79:362-71
3 Vitamin D and calcium deficits predispose for multiple chronic diseases, Peterlink M., 2005, Eur. J. Clin. Inv. 35, 290-304
4 Daily duration of vitamin D synthesis in human skin with relation to latitude, total ozone, altitude, ground cover, aerosols and cloud thickness, Engelsen O., Brustad M., Aksnes L., Lund E., Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2005, 81(6), 1287-1290

5 Calculated ultraviolet exposure levels for a healthy vitamin D status, Webb A., Engelsen O., Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2006, 82(6), 1697-1703 

All about the skin

• Are your Toiletries Toxic? (Daily Mail, 6th of July 2009)
• Dry Skin
• Lupin seed extract: pain free solution to dermal injections
• The Skin and its Rhythms
• UV Benefits and Risks
• Winter, Skin and Oil: How To Take Control Of Your Skin Protection

Guide me green

• Buy Green Skin Care Online-What You Really Need To Know Before You Buy
• Genitals anomalies on the rise: too many estrogens in the environment
• Hot List for Veggies to Spot Animal Derived Ingredients in Disguise
• Understanding Certified Organic Cosmetics
• What does organic really mean? A look at the origins and organic cosmetics today