By Katy Siwirski Spring time is finally here, and we can finally go back to enjoying the great outdoors. There are plenty of advantages and disadvantages of enjoying time outdoors; depending on your skin type, certain precautions are needed to properly protect oneself from harmful Ultraviolet, o...

By Katy Siwirski

Spring time is finally here, and we can finally go back to enjoying the great outdoors. There are plenty of advantages and disadvantages of enjoying time outdoors; depending on your skin type, certain precautions are needed to properly protect oneself from harmful Ultraviolet, or UV radiation.

Long-term exposure to UV radiation has a variety of acute and chronic effects. Acute effects of UV exposure include sunburn and tanning. Chronic effects of UV exposure include premature aging of the skin, suppression of the immune system, damage to the eyes, and skin cancer. Sunburn, also known  as solar erythema, is the redness of the skin caused by an increase in blood flow to the skin caused by the enlargement of blood vessels as a result of exposure to UV radiation. This can also result in blistering, pain, and peeling of the skin a few days after over exposure. Fair skinned individuals have a higher risk for sunburn, as well as individuals with red or blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles. For people with fair skin, sunburn can occur within 15 to 30 minutes of UV exposure. It is also believed that children and elders are more sensitive to UV radiation.

Tanning is the delayed pigmentation of the skin. It becomes noticeable one to two days after sun exposure, and can persist for weeks or even months. Tanning is considered to be a harmful effect, although it does allow some protection, but not as efficient as sunscreen for Caucasian skin. Thickening of the epidermis can also occur and is believed to be an important component of a mild sunburn reaction. On top of all this, skin cancer is a strong component when dealing with UV radiation. There are a variety of skin cancers, including nonmelanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Cumulative sun exposure is believed to be important in nonmelanoma skin cancers. The warning signs for melanoma include enlargement of moles, itching or pain in a preexisting mole, development of new moles in adult life, irregularity of borders, and variegation of color within a pigmented lesion.

As a reminder, do not avoid UV exposure, all together. It is important to get out and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful sunshine, but it is important to properly protect your skin. It is also important to know limitations with the amount of sun exposure you receive. Vitamin D is an important nutrient that we receive from sun exposure, and doing so will balance and maintain a healthy, standard level of well-being.