Which burns uva or uvb

Man-made sources of UVC include welding torches, special bacteria-killing light bulbs, and mercury lamps. Although not considered a risk for skin cancer, UVC rays can cause severe damage to human eyes and skin, including burns, lesions, and ulcers on the skin.

A number of environmental factors can affect when UV rays are the most powerful. Some of these factors include:. UV exposure is highest between 10 a. This makes them more powerful. UV exposure is highest in the spring and summer months.

During these seasons, the sun is at a higher angle, which increases UV ray intensity. However, the sun can still affect you during fall and winter. UV exposure is highest in areas on or near the equator, where UV rays have less distance to travel before reaching the ground. The ozone layer provides protection from UV rays.

But greenhouse gases and pollutants have caused the ozone layer to thin, increasing UV intensity. Clouds filter out some UV rays from reaching the ground. However, it depends on the type of cloud. Dark, water-filled clouds may block out more UV rays than high, thin clouds. UV rays reflect off surfaces such as snow, water, sand, and pavement. This can increase UV exposure.

Choose sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection. A higher sun protection factor SPF will provide more protection, but remember that no sunscreen is percent effective at blocking out UV rays. When shopping for sunscreen, you may want to opt for a physical, or mineral-based, product. Recent research has found that the ingredients in some chemical sunscreens can be absorbed into your blood.

These ingredients are found in physical sunscreens. Clothes can provide some protection from UV exposure. Tightly-woven dry fabrics are best. Warm summer days offer plenty of ways to have fun in the sun , but you may damage unprotected skin in as little as 15 minutes. All types of UV radiation have the potential to damage your skin, but each type affects your skin differently. They are also strongly linked to skin cancer. How do you tell the different UV rays apart and how do they affect your skin?

Summer days should be spent enjoying a little bit of sunshine, not worrying about the harmful effects of the sun and UV rays. By arming yourself with sunscreen, protective clothing, and the right sunglasses , you can safely enjoy outdoor activities today without fear of damage to your skin later.

If you are concerned about any abnormal moles or skin discolorations as a result of years of unprotected sunbathing, please visit the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center website or call to schedule an appointment. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts. Tanning is your body's attempt to protect itself from being damaged by ultraviolet UV radiation. While we need some exposure to sunlight to help our bodies make vitamin D, too much UV is dangerous.

Source: U. Almost half the daytime total of the more harmful UVB radiation is received between the hours of 10 a. Even on a cloudy day, you can be sunburned by UVB radiation. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

While everyone should protect themselves against UV radiation, it is particularly important to protect children.