The skin uses sunlight
to help manufacture vitamin D,
which is important
for normal bone formation.
But there’s a downside.
The sun's ultraviolet light
can cause major damage to the skin.
The outer layer of the skin
has cells that contain the pigment melanin.
Melanin protects skin
from the sun's ultraviolet rays.
These can burn the skin
and reduce its elasticity,
leading to premature aging.
People tan because sunlight causes the
skin to produce more melanin and darken.
The tan fades
when new cells move to the surface
and the tanned cells are sloughed off.
Some sunlight can be good as long as
you have proper protection from overexposure.
But too much ultraviolet,
or UV, exposure can cause sunburn.
The UV rays penetrate outer skin layers
and hit the deeper layers of the skin,
where they can damage or kill skin cells.
People,
especially those who don’t have much melanin
and who sunburn easily,
should protect themselves.
You can protect yourself
by covering sensitive areas,
wearing sunblock,
limiting total exposure time,
and avoiding the sun between 10 am and 2 pm.
Frequent exposure to ultraviolet rays
over many years
is the chief cause of skin cancer.
And skin cancer should not be taken lightly.
Check your skin regularly
for suspicious growths or other skin changes.
Early detection and treatment
are key in the successful treatment
of skin cancer.