The Dangers of UV Rays to Health

Before we start learning the difference between UVA and UVB rays, it’s good to understand how serious and dangerous UV rays are! This awareness can help us be more regular and consistent in maintaining our skin health. Apart from premature aging, cancer, and skin damage, UV rays are also responsible for health problems such as:

• Cataracts: UV exposure, especially over long periods of time, increases the risk of developing cataracts. Cataract is a condition where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, obscuring one’s vision.

• Retinal Damage: It can also damage the retina, the layer inside the eye that is responsible for vision. The effect will be vision problems and impairment.

• Skin Immunosuppression: This makes the skin more susceptible to infection, inflammation, and other skin health problems. A weakened skin immune system can worsen skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, or skin infections.

• Systemic Effects: Long-term exposure to UV rays can also have an impact on the immune system as a whole. We could be more susceptible to diseases!

Therefore, not only the skin, UV rays can produce a negative impact on the health of the body. Can you see how important it is for us to be aware of this issue? Let’s learn the difference and the steps we need to take to protect ourselves!

What is the Difference between UVA & UVB Rays

There are specific differences between these two UV rays. First, we can look at the wavelength. The longer the wavelength of UV light, the higher the penetration rate. UVA rays have a wavelength of about 320-400 nanometers, while UVB rays have a wavelength of about 280-320 nanometers. What does this mean?

This relates to the penetration rate of UV rays. UVA rays are able to penetrate deeper into the skin layers, including the dermis, while UVB tends to attack the upper layers of the skin, namely the epidermis. Not just skin, UVA rays can still penetrate glass and even clothes!

Next, the difference in intensity. UVB has a higher intensity than UVA, usually more pronounced during midday (varies depending on the time of day). While UVA has a lower intensity but is constant and stable.

So, that’s more or less the basic difference between the two types of UV rays. The impact on the skin is obviously different too!

The Impact of UVA and UVB Rays on

The “A” in UVA stands for Aging. This means that UVA rays have more impact on premature aging cases for the skin. Whereas, the “B” in UVB refers to Burn which means to burn. That is the first difference between the two in their impact on our skin.

UVA has the potential to cause problems such as:

• Skin Aging: UVA rays can damage elastin and collagen fibers in the skin, leading to premature aging. This can result in wrinkles, decreased skin elasticity and dullness.
• Causes of Sunspots: Repeated exposure to UVA rays can cause sunspots or hyperpigmentation that appear as dark spots on the skin.

Instead, UVB has the potential to cause problems such as:

• Sunburn & Skin Damage: Overexposure to UVB rays can cause sunburn. This happens because UVB stimulates the skin to produce melanin as a protective response, resulting in redness and burning.

In addition, these two UV rays also contribute to the risk of skin cancer. Very scary isn’t it? Then what are the ways we can do to keep our skin protected?

Choose the Right Sunscreen

Of course, the main thing we can do is use sunscreen! That being said, don’t forget to also use protective gear such as sunglasses, hats, or long-sleeved clothes and take shelter especially when the sun is at its hottest (between 10 am – 4 pm).

But what sunscreen should we choose? It depends on your skin type and how long and intense your sun exposure is. For those of you with light and pale color tones, we recommend choosing a sunscreen with SPF 30 – 50+ (high protection), whereas if our skin tends to be darker then even a lower SPF is still safe. 

In addition to SPF, the sunscreen you choose should be labeled PA+ (referring to UVA protection). The higher the protection, the more “+” signs there will be (for example: PA+, PA++, PA+++, and so on).

Other tips for choosing based on environmental conditions include:

• SPF 15 / PA+ for indoor activities
• SPF 15-30 / PA++ for outdoor activities
• SPF 30-50+ / PA +++ for frequent and prolonged exposure to the sun

We just need to adjust it to our skin needs, isn’t it easy? If there are certain skin conditions and problems, Sereni-Trees should consult a professional first so you don’t make the wrong choice!

Which is more dangerous, UVA or UVB rays?

While both have a significant impact on the skin, it turns out that UVA rays are far more harmful than UVB rays! With their ability to penetrate clouds, glass, and even deep layers of skin, imagine what could happen if we continue to be exposed without protection?

UVB damage may be visible immediately, but generally only on the upper skin layers such as burns. This is why people are more aware of the dangers of UVB. But the impact of UVA is more long-term/not immediately visible. Cases can start from skin discoloration, continue to photo aging (all kinds of wrinkles such as fine wrinkles and sagging), and finally, skin cancer. 

In conclusion, we should still give our skin maximum protection against both UV rays every day. No matter where we are, inside or outside, sunny or cloudy, UV rays can still cause damage to our skin! Instead of regretting it later, let’s start being more aware of the dangers of UV rays. Don’t forget to maximize your skin protection with Serenitree’s bodycare range!

The post Know the Difference between UVA and UVB Rays and Their Impact on Skin! appeared first on Serenitree Indonesia.

But don’t worry, today Serenitree will give you an introduction, types and tips of sunscreen so you can choose the right one. So make sure to read this article until the end!

Dangers of UVA and UVB Rays

Especially now when global warming has become more prevalent, we must always protect our skin from the fierce rays of the sun. Sunlight or UVA and UVB can provide a million negative risks to our skin. 

Here’s the difference between UVA and UVB:

• UVA light: The longest wavelength of all UV rays but with lower energy. These rays can penetrate the skin and usually the negative effects will be seen sooner. Examples include sunburn and dark spots. It can also lead to premature ageing and skin cancer in the future!

• UVB rays: In contrast to UVA rays, these rays have higher energy but shorter wavelengths. Instead of entering the skin, these rays can directly damage the skin layer and its DNA. One example is that the skin may burn/damaged melanin.

Of course, continuous exposure to these two rays will have both short-term and long-term negative effects! This is where sunscreen comes in, as a protection from the sun. Whether the climate is hot or cold, sunscreen will protect us, that is why make sure to never skip using it!

Benefits of Sunscreen for Skin Health

Apart from protecting the skin from the sun, sunscreen plays a lot of roles in the health of our skin. Functioning as a protector, here are some of the things we can feel if we use this product regularly:

• Prevents premature ageing

Who wants wrinkles, sagging or dry skin? Of course no one! Therefore, in order to avoid this risk, both children, young people and adults must use skin protection with this sunscreen.

• Avoiding sunburn

Not only when playing at the beach must you use sunscreen! As long as the sun still appears, UVA and UVB rays are present. Especially if you have sensitive skin, you must really apply sunscreen and use other protections such as hats, umbrellas or long-sleeved clothes.

• Say no to blotchy skin

Blotchy skin is also known as hyperpigmentation, which means that certain areas of the skin look darker than others. If it happens, it will be difficult to get rid of it! Sometimes it even needs medical treatment. So, let’s just avoid it!

• Lower the risk of skin cancer

Sunscreen plays a role in reducing skin risks because it can protect our skin from UVA rays. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible, we still have to keep ourselves protected from other factors besides UVA rays.

There you have it! Now we can all see how important is sunscreen to the health and wellbeing of our skin right? 

3 Types of Sunscreen

There are 3 types of sunscreen that we can choose according to our skin type. The first one is physical sunscreen. The active ingredients of this type are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The way it works is by becoming a fortress so that UV rays do not penetrate into our skin. For those of you with sensitive and dry skin, this type is ideal, especially since it doesn’t clog your pores. However, the downside is that it can leave a white cast, wears off easily and requires frequent re-application.

The second type is chemical sunscreens. The active ingredients of this type include oxybenzone and avobenzone. This one works by absorbing UV rays and converting them into heat to prevent them from entering the skin. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, this type of sunscreen will be perfect for you as it is light-textured and easy to absorb. But the downside is that it may trigger allergies and you have to wait for about 20-30 minutes for it to absorb properly. 

Finally, there’s the hybrid sunscreen type. As the name implies, this type is a combination of physical and chemical sunscreen. This is a new innovation that you should try as well because it tends to be more effective with less irritating ingredients. Perfect for those with sensitive skin!

Even so, to choose a suitable product, we always recommend researching the ingredients and conducting a patch test to avoid risks! 

Tips for Using Sunscreen

Nowadays in the beauty market, there are many application models, some are in the form of sprays, liquid, sticks and many more. It’s easy, just apply it to the skin!

However, there are a few things that we must remember:

• Using sunscreen is the last step in your skincare/makeup routine.
• Choose products with at least SPF 30 for strong protection
• Reapply after every 2 hours
• Use about 15-20 minutes before activities
• Always use sunscreen indoors or outdoors
• Don’t use too much or too little, humans need at least 35 ml of sunscreen per body.
• Apply to the skin surface evenly

It’s so easy, isn’t it? Now there’s no reason to forget or feel lazy in wearing sunscreen. Moreover, there are so many variations that we can choose according to our needs and comfort.

Remember, health is always a priority! After that, glowing, bright and flawless skin will appear by itself. Apart from using sunscreen or skin protection, make sure that skin hygiene and moisture are maintained. Plus, lifestyle and nutrition must be balanced! For tips on a healthy diet for glowing skin, you can see the article here. 

Keep your spirits up and stay healthy, Serenitree will always be ready to help you with all your natural skincare needs. Start your skincare journey now!

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