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One of the most important rules for gents wanting to maintaining healthy skin is protecting yourself from the harmful effects of sun exposure. Understanding how UV radiation negatively impacts skin health is crucial to consistently following a sun-avoidance skincare routine that is effective. Out-dated and incorrect information still circulates in mainstream beliefs regarding UV light safety, such as safe tanning beds. 

Skin Health 

Unprotected exposure to UV radiation is proven to significantly increase one’s chances of developing skin cancers such as melanoma, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCG).

On a more superficial level, UV damage is reflected on the skin’s surface where it negatively affects the skin’s appearance.

UV induced damage from the sun is one of the leading causes of premature aging because the stress of the radiation on cells speeds up the formation of fine-lines, wrinkles and dark spots. 

Sunscreens are natural and synthetic formulas designed to block the sun’s radiation from damaging the skin. Only those products with full-spectrum protection (block UVA and UVB radiation) are adequate.

Sun damage is the result of two types of light radiation - Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB).

Both types of radiation have the ability to cause damage and burn the skin, however, UVA radiation is considered more dangerous as its lightwaves make up about 95% of the UV radiation that reaches the earth.

With longer wavelengths, UVA radiation penetrates deeper into the skin’s layers than UVB radiation.

As a result, UVA causes greater damage to the innermost part of the epidermis (top layer of the skin) where most skin cancers form due to the resulting genetic mutations and DNA damage from the radiation exposure.

Advice 

BRAHSTON® recommends gents seriously commit to the following two pieces of advice regarding UV exposure.

BRAHSTON® recommends gents incorporate a full-spectrum facial sunscreen (blocks both UVA + UVB types of radiation) into their daily routine.

In addition, BRAHSTON® recommends gents generally just try to avoid extended, unprotected exposure to UVA + UVB rays directly from the sun and those artificially created for tanning beds