Transcript Sunlight, Sun Damage and Protection from Radiation

Sunlight, Sun Damage and
Protection from Radiation
There are five forms of radiation.
Ranging from 100-1,000,000 nm in
wavelength
Ultraviolet A (UVA)
• Referred to as the “near-uv”
• Closest to visible range
• Longer wavelength of 320-400 nanometers
(nm)
Ultraviolet B (UVB)
• The “sunburn” wavelength or Ultra Violet rays
• Intermediate wavelength of 280-320
nanometers ( nm)
Ultraviolet C (UVC)
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Shortest of ultraviolet wavelength
Range of 100-280 nanometers
Can effectively kill germs
Germicidal wavelength
Mountain climbers may experience burns
from the UVC, as the ozone is being depleted
• Fluorescent lamps emit UVC
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“Visible Light”
• Can be seen by the human eye
• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and
violet
• They are 400-760 nanometers
Infra Red Waves
• Heat waves that warm us on when standing in
the sun on a cold day is Infra Red Wavelengths
• Range in the 760 – 1800 (NM)
• Infra red adds damage to the harmful affects
of UV
• Infra Red is emitted by stoves, furnaces, light
bulbs, heat lamps, etc
Skin Damage From the Sun
• UVA – once considered harmless to the skin
can creating a healthy tan
• UVA – exposure dries the skin
• Reaches deep into the dermis causing
wrinkles, uneven skin tones, sagging skin, and
broken capillaries, etc
• Cumulative damage and to UVA can lead to
basal and squamous cell cancers
• Most widely used wavelength in tanning beds
Urocanic Acid
• A molecule that is made by the outermost skin
cells
• Found in naturally in the outermost skin cells
and found in the epidermis
• Acts as a photo protectant as against UVB
induced DNA damage
• Can be penetrated with UVA, when this occurs
it can generate the formation of free radicals
in the skin and cause sun damage
Ultra Violet Waves & Tanning Beds
• UVA – highest level of used in tanning beds
• Most devices emit UVA radiation
• High-pressure tanning devices emit UVA
almost exclusively
• Studies show as high as a 200% risk in
melanoma when usage exceeds 50 hours, 100
sessions over 10 years
Skin Damage from the Sun Continued:
• UVB – causes skin redness and can result in
sunburns
• UVB –skin damages the epidermis and
promotes a thickening of the outer most skin
layer
• Cumulative damage results in basal and
squamous cell cancers
Skin Damage from the Sun Continued:
• UVC – is the highest level of energy within the
UV spectrum
• Tanning lamps are within this artificial source
• UVC – can cause burns with prolonged
exposure
• Routine exposure can augment photo damage
caused by natural UVC and UVB rays
Skin Damage from the Sun
• Visible light is 50% of the sun’s radiation
• This energy level penetrates the skin into the
dermis
• Chronic Infra Red exposure can lead to leaking
blood vessels resulting in blotchy
pigmentation
• Loss of elastin is another side effect
Langerhan Cells
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Located in epidermis
Help fight against infection and cancer
Play a role in the skin immune system
Sunlight decreases the number of Langerhan
Cells
• Increases risk of sun damage and cancer
Photo-sensitizing Drugs
• Antibiotics medication can cause phototoxic
reaction to skin
• When this happens they increase risk of
sunburn
• Symptoms include inflammation and
erythema
• Read label before exposing skin to sun or laser
Photoprotectants That Compose Broad
Spectrum Sunscreens
• Organic sunscreens filter either UVB and UVA
• There are no organic filters that completely
block the rays from the skin
• The protection offered by all sun protective
products relates to the level of concentration,
the thickness of film applied to the skin as well
as the total coverage
Three Physical Blockers
• Indirect Physical Blockers are natural talcum and
mica
• Polymers are substances from plants or seminatural derived from shells of shrimp or synthetic
substances such as micronized nylon
• Polymers provide a maze that prevent some rays
from reaching the skin
• Direct Physical Photo blockers are compounds
such as Bismuth and Zinc oxide
• Zinc oxide is a excellent example of direct physical
photo blocker
Cell Protectants – Anti-oxides
• Vitamin C - most effective anti-oxidant that
protect from UVB and UVA damage
• Vitamin E – an oil soluble antioxidants that
breaks the chain of reaction of free-radicals
before they cause damage
• A combination of Vitamin C & Vitamin E offer
a greater protection from cellular insult from
UVA and UVB exposure
Skin Protection - Sunscreens
• Broad spectrum sunscreen are the best
protection from the UVB and UVA rays
• The SPF ( Sun Protection Factor) varies from
product to product
• Higher SPF the better the protection factor
• Sun Protection Factor – is the time it takes
UVB rays to cause reddening of the skin when
sunscreen is applied as compared to no
protection at all
Antioxidants
• Supplementing the body with topically applied
antioxidants can provide protection from
premature aging
• Vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) applied to the skin
prior to them sunscreens can add protection
against photo damage and skin cancer.
• Certain Vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) can add up to 8
times the SPF, protect against photo damage and
skin cancer, regenerates cells against
Niacin
• Niacinamide – clinical studies indicate
protection to skin
• UV rays
• Suppress the transfer of melasomes and
prevents hyper pigmentation
Lighter Skin
• Lighter skin and fair-haired people are at more
risk of injury and DNA damage
Laser Patients Need Sun Protection
• An SPF of 25 is need to protect the tissue from photo
damage cell damage
• Instruct patient to use daily, wear a hat, and clothing
that will protect the area from additional sun exposure
• Reapplying sunscreen every 80 minutes is necessary
• Do not lay in the sun or tanning bed for 4-6 weeks
before and after a laser treatment with 755 nm or 810
nm
• Patients using the nd.yag need to refrain from the sun
for 1 week before and after, use SPF 25 daily
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FDA
• FDA – new standard for effective labeling of
sunscreen
• Broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) must include
both
• SPF 15 or higher may state that reduction of risk
of skin cancer and sunburn
• Products with less value or not broad spectrum
must carry warning that the products has not
been shown to prevent skin cancer or early skin
aging