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Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun, in particular infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. On Earth, sunlight is scattered and filtered through Earth's atmosphere, and is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon. When direct solar radiation is not blocked by clouds, it is experienced as sunshine, a combination of bright light and radiant heat (Atmospheric). When blocked by clouds or reflected off other objects, sunlight is diffused. Sources estimate a global average of between 164 watts to 340 watts per square meter over a 24-hour day; this figure is estimated by NASA to be about a quarter of Earth's average total solar irradiance.
Ultraviolet (UV) light is electromagnetic radiation in a range of energies higher than that of visible light, but less than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight, and constitutes about 10% of the total electromagnetic radiation output from the Sun. It is also produced by electric arcs; Cherenkov radiation; and specialized lights, such as mercury-vapor lamps, tanning lamps, and black lights.
Electromagnetic radiation can be classified into two types: ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation, based on the capability of a single photon with more than 10 eV energy to ionize atoms or break chemical bonds. Extreme ultraviolet and higher frequencies, such as X-rays or gamma rays are ionizing, and these pose their own special hazards: see radiation poisoning.
Photokeratitis or ultraviolet keratitis is a painful eye condition caused by exposure of insufficiently protected eyes to the ultraviolet (UV) rays from either natural or artificial sources. Photokeratitis is akin to a sunburn of the cornea and conjunctiva.
Sun tanning or tanning is the process whereby skin color is darkened or tanned. It is most often a result of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or from artificial sources, such as a tanning lamp found in indoor tanning beds. People who deliberately tan their skin by exposure to the sun engage in a passive recreational activity of sun bathing. Some people use chemical products which can produce a tanning effect without exposure to ultraviolet radiation, known as sunless tanning.
Indoor tanning involves using a device that emits ultraviolet radiation to produce a cosmetic tan. Typically found in tanning salons, gyms, spas, hotels, and sporting facilities, and less often in private residences, the most common device is a horizontal tanning bed, also known as a sunbed or solarium. Vertical devices are known as tanning booths or stand-up sunbeds.
Actinic keratosis (AK), sometimes called solar keratosis or senile keratosis, is a pre-cancerous area of thick, scaly, or crusty skin. Actinic keratosis is a disorder of epidermal keratinocytes that is induced by ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. These growths are more common in fair-skinned people and those who are frequently in the sun. They are believed to form when skin gets damaged by UV radiation from the sun or indoor tanning beds, usually over the course of decades. Given their pre-cancerous nature, if left untreated, they may turn into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. Untreated lesions have up to a 20% risk of progression to squamous cell carcinoma, so treatment by a dermatologist is recommended.
The ultraviolet index, or UV index, is an international standard measurement of the strength of the sunburn-producing ultraviolet (UV) radiation at a particular place and time. It is primarily used in daily and hourly forecasts aimed at the general public. The UV index is designed as an open-ended linear scale, directly proportional to the intensity of UV radiation, and adjusting for wavelength based on what causes human skin to sunburn. The purpose of the UV index is to help people effectively protect themselves from UV radiation, which has health benefits in moderation but in excess causes sunburn, skin aging, DNA damage, skin cancer, immunosuppression, and eye damage, such as cataracts.
Skin care or skincare is a range of practices that support skin integrity, enhance its appearance, and relieve skin conditions. They can include nutrition, avoidance of excessive sun exposure, and appropriate use of emollients. Practices that enhance appearance include the use of cosmetics, botulinum, exfoliation, fillers, laser resurfacing, microdermabrasion, peels, retinol therapy, and ultrasonic skin treatment. Skin care is a routine daily procedure in many settings, such as skin that is either too dry or too moist, and prevention of dermatitis and prevention of skin injuries.
Sun protective clothing is clothing specifically designed for sun protection and is produced from a fabric rated for its level of ultraviolet (UV) protection. A novel weave structure and denier may produce sun protective properties. In addition, some textiles and fabrics employed in the use of sun protective clothing may be pre-treated with UV-inhibiting ingredients during manufacture to enhance their effectiveness.
Apparent temperature, also known as "feels like", is the temperature equivalent perceived by humans, caused by the combined effects of air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. The measure is most commonly applied to the perceived outdoor temperature. Apparent temperature was invented by Robert Steadman who published a paper about it in 1984. However, it also applies to indoor temperatures, especially saunas, and when houses and workplaces are not sufficiently heated or cooled.
The Fitzpatrick scale is a numerical classification schema for human skin color. It was developed in 1975 by American dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick as a way to estimate the response of different types of skin to ultraviolet (UV) light. It was initially developed on the basis of skin color to measure the correct dose of UVA for PUVA therapy, and when the initial testing based only on hair and eye color resulted in too high UVA doses for some, it was altered to be based on the patient's reports of how their skin responds to the sun; it was also extended to a wider range of skin types. The Fitzpatrick scale remains a recognized tool for dermatological research into human skin pigmentation.
Chronic actinic dermatitis is a condition where a subject's skin becomes inflamed due to a reaction to sunlight or artificial light; similar to solar urticaria or cholinergic urticaria. Patients often have other related conditions of the skin that cause dermatitis in response to a variety of stimuli.
Sunburn is a form of radiation burn that affects living tissue, such as skin, that results from an overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, usually from the Sun. Common symptoms in humans and other animals include red or reddish skin that is hot to the touch or painful, general fatigue, and mild dizziness. Other symptoms include blistering, peeling skin, swelling, itching, and nausea. Excessive UV radiation is the leading cause of (primarily) non-malignant skin tumors, which in extreme cases can be life-threatening. Sunburn is an inflammatory response in the tissue triggered by direct DNA damage by UV radiation. When the cells' DNA is overly damaged by UV radiation, type I cell-death is triggered and the tissue is replaced.
Photoaging or photoageing is a term used for the characteristic changes to skin induced by chronic UVA and UVB exposure. Tretinoin is the best studied retinoid in the treatment of photoaging.
A physical hazard is an agent, factor or circumstance that can cause harm with contact. They can be classified as type of occupational hazard or environmental hazard. Physical hazards include ergonomic hazards, radiation, heat and cold stress, vibration hazards, and noise hazards. Engineering controls are often used to mitigate physical hazards.
Exposing skin to the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight has both positive and negative health effects. On the positive side, exposure allows for the synthesis of vitamin D3. Vitamin D has been suggested as having a wide range of positive health effects, which include strengthening bones and possibly inhibiting the growth of some cancers. A dietary supplement can also supply vitamin D, but there are also benefits to exposure not obtainable through Vitamin D supplementation. Long-term sun exposure is associated with reduced all-cause mortality and reduced mortality risk from cardiovascular disease (CVD), some forms of cancer, and non-CVD/noncancer related disease, with indications in these studies that Vitamin D is not the mediator. Supplementation offers limited bioavailability and no synthesis of subdermal nitric oxide. UV exposure also has positive effects for endorphin levels, and possibly for protection against multiple sclerosis. Abundant visible light to the eyes gives health benefits through its association with the timing of melatonin synthesis, maintenance of normal and robust circadian rhythms, and reduced risk of seasonal affective disorder.
Skin sloughing is the process of shedding dead surface cells from the skin. It is most associated with cosmetic skin maintenance via exfoliation, but can also occur biologically or for medical reasons.
Non-ionizingradiation refers to any type of electromagnetic radiation that does not carry enough energy per quantum to ionize atoms or molecules—that is, to completely remove an electron from an atom or molecule. Instead of producing charged ions when passing through matter, non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation has sufficient energy only for excitation. Non-ionizing radiation is not a significant health risk. In contrast, ionizing radiation has a higher frequency and shorter wavelength than non-ionizing radiation, and can be a serious health hazard: exposure to it can cause burns, radiation sickness, many kinds of cancer, and genetic damage. Using ionizing radiation requires elaborate radiological protection measures, which in general are not required with non-ionizing radiation.
A dose rate is quantity of radiation absorbed or delivered per unit time. It is often indicated in micrograys per hour (µGy/h) or as an equivalent dose rate ḢT in rems per hour (rem/hr) or sieverts per hour (Sv/h).
References
- 1 2 3 4 "10 myths about sun protection". Official SunSmart website. Cancer Council Australia . Retrieved 18 August 2013.
You can get burnt on windy, cloudy and cool days. Sunburn is caused by UV radiation, which is not related to temperature – a cooler or windy day in summer will have a similar UV index to a warmer day. If it's windy and you get a red face, it's likely to be sunburn. There's no such thing as 'windburn'. You can also get sunburnt on cloudy days, as UV radiation can penetrate some clouds, and may even be more intense due to reflection off the bottom of the clouds.
- 1 2 "Sun safety in the workplace". Department of Commerce official website. Government of Western Australia. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
The wind may dry the skin but does not burn it. What is commonly described as windburn is most likely sunburn.
- 1 2 3 Beckman, Wayde (8 February 2011). "Myth-busting Windburn". MetService Blog. Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited . Retrieved 18 August 2013.
'I got windburnt today.' 'My lips feel windburnt.' It's something we hear from time to time... But what is windburn? And can the wind really burn our skin?... Double-checking with a dermatologist confirms that the term windburn is a misnomer. And that red, sore, dry skin or lips is actually sunburn caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
- 1 2 3 4 Hall, Mike (2 October 2012). "'Windburn' myth highlights need for sun safety message". TV3 (New Zealand) official site. MediaWorks New Zealand . Retrieved 18 August 2013.
'Windburn is a misnomer,' says dermatologist Todd Gunson. '... the redness and the tenderness that results from a day out in the sun is almost always due to sunburn.'
- ↑ "Medicine: Windburn to Sunburn". Time . Time Inc. 12 October 1936. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
...was the first demonstration that 'windburn' is really sunburn
- ↑ Crew, W. H.; Whittle, C. H. (2 October 1936). "Sunburn and Windburn". Science. 84 (2179): 309–310. doi:10.1126/science.84.2179.309 . Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ↑ "Windburn". Dictionary.com . IAC . Retrieved 18 August 2013.
an inflammation of the skin...caused by overexposure to the wind.
- ↑ "What is Windburn?". WiseGeek official website. Conjecture Corporation. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
Windburn is a condition caused by exposure to strong and frequently cold winds for extended periods of time.
- ↑ Sugar, Je9nny (15 January 2008). "Prevent and Treat Windburn". PopSugar Fitness official website. PopSugar Inc . Retrieved 18 August 2013.
If you like to venture out in the cold weather, you want to protect your skin from windburn. No it's not a Winter sunburn because it's not caused by the sun's harmful rays...it's actually caused by a combination of cold temp0eratures and low humidity.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Barrymore, John. "Windburn overview". Discovery Fit and Health official website. Discovery Communications . Retrieved 18 August 2013.