The Benefits And Dangers Of Sunlight

Sunlight or sunshine, whichever way you call it is one of the most useful and helpful elements that nature has provided mankind. Without it, we would experience the ice age once more and swimming would be unheard of. However, just as with any other substance, there are the benefits and dangers of sunlight/sunshine.

It’s A Mix!

Not everything about the sun is all good nor is it all bad. A mix exists between the two and it depends on you which one of the two is best for your body.  So, here are the things that you should know about the benefits and dangers.

The Good Side

Despite what you may have been led to believe regarding sunlight, getting the adequate dose of responsible sun bathing could make you healthier and happier. Consider the sun as your friend. Do this by using it responsibly. This could be very beneficial, just as long as you avoid the damaging effects of having chronic exposure.

Taking It In Small Doses

Be sure that you understand that there are risks of getting skin cancer versus your sunlight needs. Obviously, getting burned is not right.  Neither is looking directly into the sun. However, getting a small dose of daily sunshine on your skin and indirectly in your eyes is actually essential for having good health.

New Findings And Old Facts

There have been new findings suggesting that sunshine could reduce the risks of various cancer forms such as breast, prostrate, ovarian, and colon cancer. UV rays are actually your main Vitamin D source. This vitamin’s major biological function is to maintain your normal blood levels of phosphorus and calcium. And as you know, calcium is vital for having good bone health.

It is also a vasodilator, which means it helps in increasing the level of oxygen that your blood moves around your body. As this happens, you get to have a boost in your energy levels. Your mental faculties also sharpen and you can experience an enhanced sense of feeling good about yourself. Additionally, safe sunbathing can also improve conditions like eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

On The Bad Side

However, the bad side of sunlight is acquired if you get too much of it. Unsafe exposure also plays a role in developing certain conditions that are not so favorable as we discussed previously.  Let’s take a further look.

Burning And Cell Death

Basically, sun burning is a very obvious effect of UVB rays to our skin and shold be considered the number one danger. Nevertheless, you won’t burn by exposing yourself to the sun for just a split second. This only happens when you get over exposed, just like when food is subjected into too much heat. This is mainly due to your immune cells on your skin that produce histamine, which causes dilation of your blood vessels. This can also give you symptoms of some kind of acute inflammation. Your skin cells also become injured to the extent that they flake off because of death.

Spots And Cosmetic Problems

Too much sun exposure also causes brown spots, which are also known as liver spots. Additionally, UVA and UVB could lead you to develop basal cell carcinoma, which also manifests as brown spots or flakes. It could be quite difficult to distinguish them from liver spots. Nevertheless, this type of cancer is not really malignant. In fact, in most cases, it appears to be just a beauty problem rather than a serious condition.

All About Cancer

Previously, UVB rays were the only ones that were thought to produce cancer. However, according to newer findings, the whole spectrum of ultraviolet rays actually contributes to the condition.

Too much exposure from the rays could also cause melanoma. This is when a melanocyte cell is transformed to a cancer cell. A malignant type of melanoma usually comes from birth marks. For a very long time, it would remain small and at times unnoticed. However, it has the ability to spread. It could also develop rapidly and swiftly evolving into a much more serious condition.

During the initial stages, it would look like an abnormally shaped and abnormally colored birthmark. Those that have been exposed to too much sunlight and often been sunburned in his/her early years are more prone to having the malignant type.