Anti-Aging Tips To Lower Your Risk of Skin Cancer

Even though it’s known that taking sun safety measures is a must outdoors, not many people understand they might experience sun exposure indoors, also. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation can pass through windows to reach the skin, accelerating skin aging by several years, as a current study demonstrates. One must understand that along with accelerating skin aging, cumulative UV exposure can also increase your risk of skin cancer. Based on content published in Clinical Interventions in Aging, eight women and two men had considerably more wrinkles and sagging skin on one side of the face, even though they worked indoors. The side of the subjects’ faces that was constantly nearer to a window exhibited more signs of sun damage (“asymmetrical facial damage”), and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays are thought to be the culprit. While both UVA and UVB rays can harm the skin and lead to skin cancers, UVB is effectively blocked by glass. However, at least 50 percent of UVA radiation can pass through windows. (Car windows have been proven to let in more than 60 percent.) The study showed that the people most affected were those who drove vehicles for a living, or had jobs that required several hours of driving daily. In cars, windshields are laminated, and filter out UVA, but side and back windows are not. As expected, the seven

people with jobs that required significant amounts of driving had significantly more direct UVA exposure on the side of the face closer to the driver’s side window. This pattern was seen in non-drivers as well: For instance, a shopkeeper had more signs of aging on the side of her face regularly closer to the store window. The study found that people had more wrinkles under and around the eyes and on the cheeks were worse on the more UVA-exposed side of the face; skin texture was also rougher. The results also indicated that skin on the more UVA-exposed side of persons face may be duller, dryer, and slacker, and the crow’s feet deeper. This study shows that chronic exposure to UVA radiation accelerates the aging of skin five to seven years. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends you to have special UV-protective film applied to your rear and side windows. Other recommendations include using sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher, and to stay away from indoor tanning salons that use a tanning bed, booth, or sunlamp as these can cause skin cancers including melanoma (the deadliest type of skin cancer), basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation also can cause cataracts and cancers of the eye (ocular melanoma). Preventative Measures for protecting your skin include covering up as much of your skin when possible. Be extra cautious near water, sand or snow as the sun's rays are stronger when they reflect off these surfaces, even if you’re in what you consider a shady spot. Wearing protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and UV-resistant wrap-around sunglasses can protect your body, face and eyes from the suns damaging rays.