Fry Now Pay Later: Health Effects of Overexposure to the Sun

When the weather starts getting warm and flowers poke their heads out of the earth, it's time to put away the cardigans and scarves and start thinking about summer beauty. That can mean wearing your hair in beauty waves or fun summery accessories like woven bags and seashell accessories. It should NOT mean hours laying out in the sun in order to get the "golden goddess" look. Too much sun can cause serious health problems. Read on to learn about how to enjoy your summer without endangering your physical well-being.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the stronger and most well-understood risk of overexposure to the sun. For some people -- especially younger women -- it's easy to get caught up in the fun of the summer season and forget about the risk. Though you may think skin cancer can't happen to you, it can. According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer accounts for half the total number of cancers diagnosed each year in the United States. Of those diagnosed with skin cancer, 12,000 will die from the disease. It's simply not worth it to skip the sunscreen.

Other Skin Damage

Though the sun can cause cancer, it can also cause other damage to your skin. The sun's UV rays -- especially UVA rays -- damage the DNA in your skin cells. This harms your skin's ability to repair itself after the stresses and strains of everyday life. When harmed by the sun's rays, your skin can lose the ability to produce restorative retinol, which means you'll wrinkle more easily, get age spots more easily, and generally look older before your time. That's a high price to pay for not wearing a hot.

Eye Damage

Your skin isn't the only thing the sun can hurt. Failure to wear the right sunglasses -- especially when exposed to the glare off water or snow -- can cause damage to your eyes. Humans rely on sight more than any other species on earth, and age-related sight problems cause a lot of grief, including loss of independence and loss of ability to engage in favorite activities. Direct exposure to the sun's UV rays can damage the macula (the part of the retina most important to vision) and lead to the untimely development of cataracts.

Weakened Immune System

Finally, too much sun can weaken your immune system. Your skin is your first line of defense against pollutants, contaminants, and microscopic nasties. Skin weakened by sun exposure can't do it's job and can let in pathogens that can cause infections, as well as the carcinogens found in smoke, soot, and everyday dirt. Protecting yourself from overexposure to the sun can help you stay healthy.

What You Can Do

The damage the sun can do can be scary, but you don't have to worry, and you don't have to avoid all the fun activities that warm weather brings. To protect yourself, apply a broad-spectrum 30 SPF sunscreen to any exposed skin when 15 minutes before you're going to go outside, no matter what season it is.

For delicate facial skin, use a moisturizer or primer with sunscreen built in directly on your skin, not on top of makeup (sunscreen needs to react with your skin's surface in order to work). When you're out, wear a pretty, fashionable sunhat and some trendy sunglasses, and you'll look as good as you'll be taking care of yourself. Remember, fun in the sun can be safe and healthy if you take the right precautions.