It is true that sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) rays that could

contribute to increased risk of melanoma skin cancer and aging. But

with moderate exposure to sunlight, positive effects may be obtained.
Exposure of arms and legs for about five to thirty minutes, twice or
thrice a week has been proven to be adequate to receive the benefits
of sunlight (Holick, 2007). Sunlight exposure benefits may even

outweigh the risks.

There are three types of UV light that have been identified. First, UVC
(200-290 nm) radiation is totally absorbed and filtered by atmospheric
ozone that why it has a minimal effect on human health. Second, UVB
rays (290-320 nm) which are 90% or more is absorbed by atmospheric
zone but some does reach the Earths surface. UVB radiation is
biologically active. It penetrates the superficial of skin, down to the
basal layer of the epidermis. Lastly, UVA radiation (320-405 nm), which
is not absorbed by the ozone layer and passes through the atmosphere
with little change. It penetrates deeper in the skin reaching the dermis
(WHO, 2006). Thus, UVA and UVB rays are the solar ultraviolet

radiation that has a great importance to health.

UVB can damage the skin 20 minutes upon the exposure and most

intense from 11am to 1pm (Godar, 2005).

Thickness and color of the clothing can alter the amount of UV
penetration. Ultraviolet protection faction (UPF) is the scientific term
used to indicate the amount of ultraviolet (UV) protection provided to
skin to fabric. UPF measures the effectiveness of textile fabrics in

protecting the human skin from ultraviolet radiations (Das, 2010).

Fabric construction parameters of weight and thickness showed a
positive correlation with UPF values. The higher the weight and thicker
the fabric, the higher is the degree of protection afforded by the fabric
(Akgan et al., 2010). Thus, fabric thickness tends to transmit less UV

rays.
The dyes used to color textiles can have a considerable influence on
their permeability to ultraviolet radiation. The absorption band of many
dyes extends in to the ultraviolet spectral region depending on their
chemical structure. Thus, dyes act as ultraviolet absorbers, and
increases the UPF of the fabric. It can be said that for the same fabric
structure and dye, the darker the shade, the higher the UPF value (Das,
2010). Darker colored fabrics can offer more protection than lighter
colored fabrics for the same fabric structure and dye. Fabrics dyed with
black and dark blue exhibit maximum ultraviolet radiation protection.

According to research published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology,

when UV rays reach the skin, a compound that helps lower blood pressure is
released into our blood vessels.
The researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the UK postulate that the
cardiovascular benefits of vitamin D may outweigh the risks of skin cancer.
The researchers recruited 24 volunteers to sit under sunlamps for two 20
minute sessions while the scientists observed their blood pressure. In the
first session, the participants were exposed to UV rays and the heat of the
lamp. In the second session the UV was blocked so only the heat was
affecting the skin.
The researchers found that the participants blood pressure decreased and
their heart rate rose in the UV exposure session, but not when they were

exposed to the heat only. The reduction in blood pressure lasted for 50
minutes. Vitamin D levels were unaffected in both sessions.
Richard Weller, senior author of the research explains, We suspect that the
benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer. The
work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this, and
also explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to
compensate for lack of sunlight.
The researchers plan to focus future research on the risks of heart disease
and skin cancer in people with different levels of sun exposure.
He concludes, If this confirms that sunlight reduces the death rate from all
causes, we will need to reconsider our advice on sun exposure.

Remember if the moisturizer you use has an SPF value, it will block
UVB rays and will not allow your body to produce any vitamin D.

Because the UVA has a longer wavelength, it penetrates materials

more easily, such as the earth's atmosphere and window glass which
will effectively filter out the majority of UVB radiation, but only
minimally filters out UVAs. What's the significance of that, you ask?

It's important to remember that vitamin D3 is formed from exposure to

UVB rays, whereas UVA radiation actually destroysvitamin D. This helps
keep your body in balance; it's one of the protective mechanisms your
body has to avoid overdosing on vitamin D when you're outside.
However, when you're exposed to sunlight through windows -- in your
office, your home or your car -- you get the UVA but virtually none of
the beneficial UVB.

This can lead to significant health problems, because in addition to

destroying vitamin D3, UVA's also increase oxidative stress. UVA is one
of the primary culprits behind skin cancer, and it increases photo aging
of your skin. It's also what causes you to tan. You can actually get
vitamin D without significantly darkening your skin, because the UVB
wavelength does not stimulate the melanin pigment to produce a tan.

Normally, of course, when you get tanned from outdoor sun exposure
you're getting both UVA and UVB at the same time, so it's not a
problem. But when you are indoors and expose yourself to sunlight
filtered through window glass, you are increasing your risk of a variety
of conditions, primarily skin cancer, because the UVA's are effectively
destroying your vitamin D3 levels while you're getting none of the

benefits from UVB, and this can significantly increase your risk of skin
cancer. This is one of the reasons why many that drive long hours in
their cars develop skin cancer on the arm next to the car window.

To get an optimal vitamin D supplement from the sun at a minimal risk

of getting cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), the best time of sun
exposure is noon. Thus, common health recommendations given by
authorities in many countries, that sun exposure should be avoided for
three to five hours around noon and postponed to the afternoon, may
be wrong and may even promote CMM. The reasons for this are (1) The
action spectrum for CMM is likely to be centered at longer wavelengths
(UVA, ultraviolet A, 320-400 nm) than that of vitamin D generation
(UVB, ultraviolet B, 280-320 nm). (2) Scattering of solar radiation on
clear days is caused by small scattering elements, Rayleigh dominated
and increases with decreasing wavelengths. A larger fraction of UVA
than of UVB comes directly and unscattered from the sun. (3) The
human body can be more realistically represented by a vertical
cylinder than by a horizontal, planar surface, as done in almost all
calculations in the literature. With the cylinder model, high UVA fluence
rates last about twice as long after noon as high UVB fluence rates do.
In view of this, short, nonerythemogenic exposures around noon should
be recommended rather than longer nonerythemogenic exposures in
the afternoon. This would give a maximal yield of vitamin D at a
minimal CMM risk.

What they found is that nitric oxide stored in the top layers of
the skinreacts to sunlight and causes blood vessels to widen as the
oxide moves into the bloodstream. That, in turn, lowers blood pressure.

"This is an unexpected finding, in that the skin has not been

considered to be involved in blood pressure regulation," said lead
researcher Martin Feelisch, a professor of experimental medicine and
integrative biology at the University of Southampton.

Feelisch said he thinks -- if this finding is confirmed in further research

-- exposure to ultraviolet light might help reduce the risk for heart
disease. "That's where it becomes interesting," he said.

Among people with normal blood pressure, the effect of ultraviolet light
is modest -- a drop in blood pressure of between 2 and 5 millimeters of
mercury (mmHG), Feelisch said.

"This is a mild effect," he said. "But if you repeat this study in people
with high blood pressure, I would predict you will see a more
substantial drop."

Avoiding sunlight or using sunblock constantly out of a fear of skin

cancer could be a new risk factor for heart disease, Feelisch said.

He isn't suggesting that people should sunbathe or use tanning beds in

hopes of lowering blood pressure, however. What he recommended is
spending a moderate amount of time outdoors.

"People are dying of skin cancer, and sunlight is the only known risk
factor that contributes to skin cancer," Feelisch said. "We are fully
aware of that and don't say everyone should get as much sun as
possible. There is a very real risk -- but so is the risk for [heart]
disease. One of the main contributors to the disease is high blood
pressure."

Excessive exposure to sunlight carries the risk of developing skin

cancer, Feelisch said, but too little might increase the risk of heart
disease. However, more people die from heart disease than from
skincancer, he said.

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That blood pressure levels are higher during winter and further away from
the equator has been known, but the reasons behind these observations had
not been entirely clear, he said.

"This new study finds that UV light exposure to the skin induced nitric oxide
release and modestly lowered blood pressure, suggesting that this may play
a role in modulating blood pressure," said Fonarow, a spokesman for the
American Heart Association.
Further studies are needed to determine the degree to which varying levels
of light exposure might play a role in regulating blood pressure and reducing
heart risk, he said.
For the study, Feelisch and his colleagues exposed 24 people with normal
blood pressure to ultraviolet A radiation equal to spending about 30 minutes
in the sun.
They found that the exposure widened the blood vessels, which significantly
lowered blood pressure and changed the levels of nitric oxide in the blood.