special report

Just as plants wilt without sunlight, we decline in darkness. However, there’s a balance between being burnt and sun-kissed. In this detailed special report on sun safety, discover your perfect sun supplement plus ways to shield yourself from sun damage while still enjoying the great outdoors.

Words CAROLINE ROBERTSON

Photography Getty Images

Fifty years ago it wasn’t a satisfying summer’s day unless you got sunburnt and showed off your peeling skin later. Then in 1981 Sid Seagull swept in to slip, slop, slap some sun sense into us. Despite this, Australia still has the second-highest incidence of skin cancer in the world, with New Zealand claiming first place. In Australia there are around 2000 deaths from skin cancer annually, and according to Medicare reports there were a million treatments for non-melanoma skin cancer in 2020. Sun exposure isn’t a black and white topic. Staying in the shade brings issues such as vitamin D deficiency. To have a healthy relationship with the sun it is vital to demystify solar effects.

Shedding light

The sun emits the rainbow of visible light, infrared rays, ultraviolet (UV) light, microwaves and X-rays. UV rays, discovered by German physicist Johann Ritter in 1801, all have different wavelengths measured in nanometres — UVA 315–400nm, UVB 280–315nm and UVC 100–280nm. The higher the wavelength, the deeper the penetration, so UVB purple only skims the surface whereas infrared penetrates into the cell’s mitochondria.

Sunlight in which the Earth basks consists of 44 per cent visible light comprising UVA, UVB and infrared. Almost no UVC enters the Earth’s atmosphere as it’s blocked by ozone. The UV radiation level varies according to altitude, cloud cover, location, ozone, reflection, scattering, season, time of day and proximity to the equator. Summer days between 10am and 3pm is when UV generally peaks due to the sun’s angle.

UV index

In 1992 Canadian scientists devised the UV Index as an indicator of UV strength. The Australian Cancer Council states that the UV radiation index is measured as low risk (1-2), moderate risk (3-5), high risk (6-7), very high risk (8-10) and extreme danger (11 and above). According to the Fitzpatrick scale, someone fair-skinned can burn after about 30 minutes when the UV Index is six or in 15 minutes if it is 11.

Blue skies

Blue light, the shortest wavelength after violet, emanates from the sun during daylight. It increases alertness, elevates mood, increases beta endorphins, lowers systolic blood pressure and is antibacterial and anti-viral. Blue light is often used to treat acne and skin conditions. However, excessive artificial blue light in the evening from devices can disturb circadian rhythms of sleeping and waking by supressing melatonin secretion. Excessive blue light could potentially damage the retina and distort vision according to research. To prevent this, limit screen time after sundown, wear blueblocker glasses, use dim red lights in the evening and switch screens to night mode.