Sunburn/Suntan

There are many types of burns like: heat, radiation, chemical, electrical, light and friction. Now sunburn is a radiation burn that comes mostly from the sun's rays. The ray that cause the burn is ultraviolet light ray. I know it sounds like a light burn the this is classified as a radiation burn. Sunburn is a result from overexposure to ultraviolet rays.

The sun gives of the whole light spectrum. So there is Gamma rays and ultraviolet rays and infra-red rays and lots more. Now most of the sun's ultraviolet light is stopped by ozone in earth's upper atmosphere. but never the less some ultraviolet light gets thru.

Ultraviolet light affects any kind of living tissue; such as skin in this case. The symptoms of sunburn is: You are tired, can be dizzy, skin gets red, skin also gets hot to touch. This is the extreme case. I am not talking about a suntan now. I will come to that later. 

The reason one gets burned by the overexposure of ultraviolet light is that light gives direct DNA damage. Yep that right. The light damage the DNA of the skin-cell as soon as the light hits the cell. Now without DNA or with a damaged DNA the cells start to die. Type 1 cell-death is ongoing here. This means the dead cells are replaced as soon as possible. This process hurts and creates that heat which is one of the symptoms.

BUT wait. There are 2 types of UV light. Type A and Type B.
It is mainly type B that cause the sunburn. This light is 280 nm to 320 nm in wavelength. It is also Type B that is blocked by the ozone layer. Type A on the other hand is not blocked by the ozone layer. And it is this Type of UV light that is responsible for most the tanning process.

The reason your skin becomes brown or darker when exposed to the UV light is: There are something called melanin in everyone's skin. Melanin protects your skin from sunburn. UV type A does not affect melanin production in the skin but rather starts the release of existing melanin in the skin. It is the melanin that give the brown colour.

Just let me say one more thing about UV type B. It is not bad at all when you receive it in small amounts. UV type B produces the Vitamin D in your skin, it also stimulates the production of new melanin. When you pun on sunscreen it blocks out type B UV.

Now I hope U understand how tanning and burning works.


""Be careful, where proper clothing when working or playing in direct sunlight.This is the best defence against sunburn ""