Sun is the major source of energy for all living organisms on earth. In India we worship sun God and do suryanamaskar on one hand and talk about protecting from sun exposure on the other. There is no doubt that sun exposure is very important for Vitamin D production, maintaining sleep wake cycle and for production of happy hormones like serotonin. But that is only if the exposure is in moderation.
What are the harmful effects of sun exposure?
Unprotected sun exposure can lead to problems like
1. Skin damages – sun burns, premature ageing , excessive skin growth called actinic keratosis.
2. Eye damages – corneal burns and cataract
3. Skin cancers – both melanoma and non melanoma cancers
4. Weakening of the immune system
The Ultraviolet rays from the sun are responsible for both the beneficial and harmful effects of sun exposure. There are 3 types of UV rays – UVA, UVB and UVC. Of these UVC rays are completely filtered by the ozone layer and do not reach us at all. The UVB rays reach only the superficial layer of the skin called epidermis. This is the one responsible for sun burns and majority skin cancers. UVA rays can reach even the deeper layers of the skin called dermis and hypodermis. These rays are responsible for wrinkling, ageing, loss of elasticity, cataract formation and some skin cancers also.
How can you protect yourself and your little ones from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays?
- Time your activities : Spending time outside is a great way to be physically active and reduce stress in kids. But that is only when the sun’s radiation is not at it’s peak.The maximum UV radiation happens between 10am and 4pm. Avoid outdoor games during these hours.
- Seek shade: Whenever your little one is outdoor, try to seek shade. Teach them to carry an umbrella and play under the shades of buildings or trees. An outdoor play tent is also a great choice.
- Cloth properly : Though it is preferable to wear light coloured, breathable cotton clothes to protect from summer’s heat, for the UV rays protection it is the complete opposite. Thicker the cloth, closer the weave, darker the colour of the cloth better is the UV filtration. Try to cover up maximum areas of your kid’s skin with loose fitting clothes when they are outdoors. Tight fitting clothes can stretch the weave and expose the skin to UV rays. Change if the dress gets wet. Water in the fabric increase the transmissibility of UV rays. If possible try to get UPF labeled clothing for outdoor activities. UPF labeling tells the fabric’s capacity to protect against UV rays. UPF 50 clothes are preferred. UPF of a cotton shirt is close to 10 whereas for a blue denim shirt or jean it is above 100. It literally doesn’t allow any UV rays to pass through.
- Wear a hat : For maximum protection, make them wear a hat with a wide brim ( atleast 3 inch ) that shades their face, ears, and the back of their neck. A tightly woven fabric works best to protect the skin from UV rays. Avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through. A darker hat may offer more UV protection.
- Wear Sunglasses: Sunglasses protect their eyes from UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around their eyes from sun exposure. Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offers the best protection. Choose the one that filters at least 99% UV rays.
- Last but not the least is sunscreen. Sunscreens are not girly things. Your little ones too need them. More so because their skin is much delicate than adults. For details on how to choose and use a good sunscreen for your kids read this
Then how to get adequate vitamin D?
Already most of us and our kids are deficient in vitamin D. If we are going to further restrict sun exposure, you must be wondering then how to get the needed vitamin D? It is as important to have sun protection as to have Vitamin D. In spite of using sunscreens ( even the best one with SPF 50+) as per recommendations, 2 – 3 % of UVB rays will still reach our skin. In reality not many use the sunscreens in the right amount or reapply every few hours. Moreover 10 – 15 minutes of sun exposure is more than enough for your little ones to get the daily recommended allowance of vitamin D. U can plan this before 9am. Better than that would be dietary sources of vitamin D and vitamin D supplements . Fatty marine fish, cod liver oil, egg yolk, liver , milk, cheese, certain mushrooms and tofu are excellent sources of vitamin D.
After reading all these, you must be wondering – our grand parents or parents or even we didn’t use all these for skin protection as kids. But why all these for our kids? Three decades back we didn’t have much problems with sun exposure. But the rapid industrialization that led to gradual ozone layer depletion, left us with more and more unfiltered harmful sun’s ray reaching our Earth’s surface. The incidence of skin cancers keep increasing at the rate of 3-7% every year. In the last 30 years some of these cancers have increased by more than 200%. Protecting kids under the age of 18 years from sunburns, reduces the risk of developing certain skin cancers in the future by 40 – 70 %. So make your kids enjoy the benefits of sun under protection and stay safe.
