Remember, mild exposure is not harmful for most people. In fact, it has beneficial effects: it helps to activate vitamin D and can also lift the spirits.
What Causes MelanomaAs a recap, Melanoma is a disease in which the melanocytes mutate and stick together to form legions or tumors on the skin. Though scientists are unclear as to what exactly causes Melanoma, the most likely cause comes from UV radiation. The Role of the Sun & UV RadiationThe sun emits three types of electromagnetic radiation that are of concern to people: visible, infrared, and ultraviolet (UV). Visible radiation is the light we see; infrared is the radiation that warms us; the invisible UV radiation seems to have the greatest potential for deleterious biological effects. Ultraviolet radiation is divided into three wave bands: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. However, only UV-A and UV-B reach the earth’s surface and can therefore affect our skin. Light in both wave bands produces sunburn, along with the resulting skin damage, and accelerates the resulting skin changes associated with aging, such as wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Tanning SalonsDid you know that over 28 million Americans patronize tanning salons each year, 2.3 million teens among them? Most dermatologists strongly advise against relying on “artificial sunlight” to get a tan. The light tubes in the tanning salon produce UV-A, a wavelength of light that is implicated in making the skin look old and in causing non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal-cell carcinoma and squamous-cell carcinoma. This kind of light may also combine with UV-B to trigger Melanoma. Furthermore, a UV-A tan does not protect against UV-B damage, enlarging the possible chances of triggering Melanoma. This “base tan” will not protect you from burning when you go outdoors.
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