UV Light
The four main elements we rely on for our lives and well-being are air, water, earth and sunlight. If we take any of these forces away, then quite simply, we would not exist! There would be no life without the sun – but life with too much sun may not be good either.
The sun emits ultraviolet rays – UVC, UVB and UVA. UVC rays, the most dangerous to the human system, are filtered out by the upper atmosphere, but some UVB (which can cause sunburn and eye damage) and UVA reach the earth’s surface. The intensity depends on the angle of the sun – ie the geographical position, season and time of day. UV levels can increase by up to 50% between 11 am and 1 pm!
UV is invisible. People outdoors are exposed to varying levels of UV and are often unaware of the UV intensity. Unfortunately, warnings of sunburn often come too late. A survey in Denmark revealed that beach sunbathers exposed themselves for an average of three-and-a-half hours a day.
Sunbed lamps simulate the sun and emit UVA and UVB, but they go a stage further and control the output with a balance of UV to minimise the risk of burning and maximise the tanning. As we know – no one controls the sun! Sunbed lamp technology is subject to ongoing research and development programmes to keep abreast of researched evidence on the effects of UV.
Facts
7% of the UK’s adult population uses a sunbed = over 3 million people
70% of people want to be tanned
95% of sunbed users do not exceed the European Standard on maximum number of sessions per annum
88% of the UK population has skin types that can tan successfully in a controlled environment
38% of sunbed users do so for a pre-holiday tan.
83% of sunbed users claim to be quite or very knowledgeable of the possible risks from over-exposure to UV.
How The Skin Tans
Our natural skin colour is determined by skin pigment – melanin – and the presence and amount of melanin in an individual are determined by hereditary factors.
When our skin is exposed to UV, cells deep in our skin – called melanocytes – initiate a process where more melanin is produced. This subsequently ‘browns’ as it rises to the skin’s surface, producing a tan. UV also causes the outer layer of the skin to thicken. This is the body’s way of building up protection to UV and to help avoid burning.
People will react differently to UV rays – darker-skinned people produce melanin more readily. The skin of some very fair people contains very little melanin and, even when exposed to UV, they cannot form melanin, so they will not tan in sunlight or sunbed.
If the natural tanning process is rushed, sunburn will result. Our skin has a natural repair mechanism, but if this is triggered too frequently, it may become exhausted and result in permanent damage to the skin.
Skin Types
Our skin type is something we are born with, and we cannot change it!
There are six basic categories of skin type:
| Skin Type | Skin Description | Reaction to Tanning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Very Fair, usually lots of freckles, red or sandy hair; blue or grey eyes. | High burn risk; skin turns red and peels. Advised not to tan in sunlight Do NOT use a sunbed. |
| 2 | Fair, Possibly with freckles; blond to brown hair, green and grey. eyes | High burn risk. Great care should be taken in tanning. Tanning tends to be light. |
| 3 | Fair to light brown, No freckles; dark blond or brown hair, grey or green eyes. | Medium risk of burning. Capable of building up a moderate tan. |
| 4 | Light brown, Dark brown hair and eyes. | Burning is rare; tanning is rapid and deep See additional note below. |
| 5 | Deep brown, skin Dark hair and eyes. | Burning is seldom; tanning is rapid and deep. This type of skin has its own natural protection. See additional note below. |
| 6 | Very dark skin, Black hair and dark eyes. | Never burns in natural sunlight. See additional note below. |
NB: Skin Types 4, 5 and 6: These skin types need to exercise precaution on initial exposure. Initial exposure should also be moderate. This particularly applies if living in the UK and Ireland as natural skin protection factor is depleted through lack of regular exposure to sunshine.
Sunbed use for under 18's
SCOTLAND - The law came into force on 1 December 2009. It is illegal to allow anyone under 18 to use, purchase or hire a sunbed.
ENGLAND AND WALES - The law came into force on 8 April 2011. It is illegal to allow anyone under 18 to use a sunbed.
NORTHERN IRELAND - The law came into force on 1 May 2012. It is illegal to allow anyone under 18 to use a sunbed.
It is estimated that one-third of our lifetime exposure to UV occurs in the first 18 years of life. The delicate skin of children needs to be protected, as the melanin-producing cells do not act efficiently enough to cope with over-exposure and there is evidence which suggests that over-exposure and sunburn pose the biggest risk to skin damage.
Preventing sunburn and over-exposure in childhood is seen as a major factor in preventing skin damage in later life. On the other hand, studies have shown that UV provides a source of Vitamin D, which is essential for maintaining a healthy skeleton, eg prevention of rickets. The answer is that children should receive a certain amount of exposure to UV for health reasons but must avoid over-exposure and sunburn.