What’s So Good About The Sun Anyway? (And What’s So Bad)
What’s So Good About The Sun?
It seems like some rules apply to everything. Like this one: Moderation is a key to healthy living. For sunshine, this is definitely true, as a little sun is great for your bones, blood cells, and immune system. Sunlight on your skin stimulates your body to create vitamin D, which you need to absorb calcium and phosphorus. Sunlight also boosts serotonin in your brain which can help keep you calm, positive, and focused during your day. So even though we often think of the dangers of sun exposure, there are many positive aspects as well!
What’s Bad About The Sun
By contrast, chronic overexposure to the sun can contribute to extensive skin damage, including most of the changes we think of as a normal part of aging. This occurs when the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light damages the elastin fibers in the skin, causing the skin to sag, stretch, and lose its ability to go back into place after stretching.
It also bruises and tears more easily, and takes longer to heal. In addition to these cosmetic changes, overexposure to UV radiation can also contribute to compromised immune function, cancerous carcinomas and melanomas. From topical changes to those that are life threatening, there are many reasons to control your sun exposure.
| Type of skin | Maximum amount of time |
| I | 5 to 10 minutes |
| II | 10 to 20 minutes |
| III | 15 to 25 minutes |
| IV | 20 to 30 minutes |
The following can help you determine what type of skin you have:
| Skin type I: | Pale skin, freckles, burns very easily, hardly tans |
| Skin type II: | Pale skin, tends to burn, only tans a little |
| Skin type III: | Occasional sunburn, tans well |
| Skin type IV: | Rare sunburn, naturally dark skin |
About The Author
