You may ask yourself: “Can I get a sunburn by sitting near a window in my home, in my car or at the office?”

Sunlight is made up of two different rays: Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B. Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) effects the skin in different ways.  UVA can pass through windows of your home, car and office causing sun damage and aging your skin, where UVB will cause sunburn, skin cancer and can possibly be blocked by window glass.

UVA

• Not as likely to cause sunburn
• Can cause eye damage
• Is used in most tanning beds
• Penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB
• Can cause wrinkles, breakdown of collagen and elastin
• Can give you sun spots and hyperpigmentation
• Can penetrate clouds and windows/glass

UVB

• Overexposure to UVB causes sunburn, and some forms of skin cancer.  The most deadly form is malignant melanoma.
• These rays tan your skin and the intensity varies at certain times of the year
• Causes sunburn
• Can burn your skin year around with strongest rays between 10am and 4pm
• Causes most skin cancers
• Causes premature aging

It is important to note that both UVA/UVB have health hazards and cause premature aging. Make sure you are protecting yourself with a broad spectrum sun screen both for the UVA And UVB rays. Read the labels.

When choosing a sunscreen, avoid ones that list “oxybenzone” and “retinyl palminate” in the ingredients.  These ingredients are harmful.

For additional help, I trust the EWG – Environmental Working Group – for ratings on sunscreen. You can go here to see how well they rate each one: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/about-the-sunscreens/sunscreen

Preventive Measures To Protect You From Sunburn Year Around:

• Use broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with SPF of 15 and higher year around
• Wear protective clothing
• Wear a hat
• Wear UV protective sunglasses
• Apply 1 oz. of sunscreen to your body every two hours
• Reapply after swimming
• Avoid tanning beds
• Have a dermatologist check your skin once a year

Lips are sometimes overlooked when it comes to protection.  If you are looking for a lip balm with the protection you need and can be worn year around go here.
Sunburn home treatment remedies are helpful and can be found here.

Sunburn.