Despite the recent wind and rain, believe it or not, this week is Sun Awareness Week in the UK. Although it may not seem like such a pressing issue at the moment, sun awareness is of great importance, as increased exposure to the sun can lead to an increased risk of melanoma (skin cancer). Sunshine isn’t all bad though, as it helps our bodies to produce vitamin D. With all of this in mind, Chemist.net decided to take a look at the best ways to stay sun safe, yet still get a suitable amount of vitamin D…
Our bodies need vitamin D to absorb phosphorous and calcium from our diet, in order to maintain healthy bones. A severe lack of vitamin C can lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, which cause bone tenderness and pain. The majority of vitamin D that the body has is gained through the skin from sunlight, although it can also be gained from our diet. Unfortunately it is extremely difficult to give an accurate estimate of how much time can be safely spent in the sun before skin damage begins to occur. This is due to the wide range of factors that affect skin damage due to sun exposure, these include: length of exposure; geographical location; skin type; weather; and time of day.
As a result of this it is best to try and be as sun smart as possible. The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) advises people to slip on a shirt, seek out shade and slap on the sunscreen, using a broad spectrum sun cream that protects against both UVB and UVA, in order to avoid over exposure to the sun. Although gaining enough vitamin D from diet alone can be difficult, if you are worried about sun exposure and getting the correct amount of vitamin D, then there are a wide range of vitamin D supplements available on the market. Taking supplements allows you to make sure that your body is getting enough vitamin D, without putting your body at an increased risk of skin cancer.
