Why the sun can actually be good for you

What a scorcher! According to Met Office figures, July was the hottest month since records began in 1914, and I feel sure everyone is enjoying the feel good factor that a good dose of sunshine brings (when we are not at work that is!).

Although it’s still important to take precautions to prevent sun damage, which we at SkinGenesis subscribe to wholeheartedly, exposure to the sunshine can actually be good for you. We’ve tried to sort out the fact from the fiction to let you know just what the benefits can be of soaking up a few rays.

There seems to be a wealth of new medical evidence around at the moment showing that spending up to 15 minutes* in the sun without protection every day can help reduce the risk of many illnesses, including breast, colon and prostrate cancer. According to the studies, when the body is exposed to UVB rays it produces Vitamin D which helps with many vital processes. Vitamin D helps regulate cell processes in the body, telling cells when to divide, when to stop dividing and when to die. This can help prevent the growth of tumours, therefore inhibiting cancers.

Vitamin D  also helps with the body’s absorption of calcium and phosphate from food, and so is essential in the formation of bones and teeth. It helps bones grow, and so a deficiency of Vitamin D can lead to rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.

Osteoporosis, common amongst women particularly after the menopause, is characterised by reduced bone density which often leads to fracture and is more prevalent among those in countries which do not see regular sunlight. Multiple Sclerosis is also more common in those who live further from the equator, and it is believed risks are decreased by exposure to sunlight.

We all feel happier when the sun is shining, and there is a lot of medical evidence to suggest that sunlight hitting the skin can reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder (“SAD”). SAD is a depressive disorder related to lack of light and is thought to affect up to 10% of the average population, increasing to 20% in countries like Sweden where daylight hours are decreased for months on end. Spending a short time in the sun each day has been proven to reverse the affects of SAD, increasing energy levels and improving mood.

Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is also believed to be improved by sun exposure. Calcium is widely thought to reduce the symptoms of PMS and as Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, exposing your skin to sunshine can reduce its effects. Chronic skin conditions, such as acne, eczema and psoriasis are also improved by UVB rays, something which has been recognised by medical experts who try to synthesise the sun’s healing effects using lightboxes.

You can buy Vitamin D tablets, but scientists believe that the Vitamin D your body makes naturally when exposed to the sun is much more effective than in tablet form. You can’t get too much Vitamin D, so taking tablets as well as exposing yourself to the sun could mean increased protection from certain diseases. The authorities in Australia take the benefits of Vitamin D so seriously that bread is even fortified with it.

In the UK, the way health advice is presented to the public regarding suncare is changing in order to stress the importance of some exposure, showing a changing tide of opinion on the subject.

Remember, although the benefits of spending time in the sun without protection are numerous, 15 minutes* is the maximum time advised and if your skin is pale and you burn easily, it is recommended that this is reduced. Any burning of the skin is still damaging, and so after exposure it is recommended you cover up immediately and seek some shade, and apply a high factor sun cream if you are going out in the sun later in the day.

* 15 minutes is a sensible guide based on the time taken for a white skinned person to synthesise the recommended daily amount of Vitamin D with 10 to 20 percent of their body exposed (arms and back or chest).  Latest research from America shows that people with darker skin can require up to four times as much time in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D, which the authors thought might be responsible for the higher cancer rate in black Americans.