Sun Block to Protect Against Ultraviolet Radiation
The Sun is the natural source of ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation has positive and negative effects to humans. The UV rays, as what it is popularly called can induce Vitamin D. The sun is the primary natural source of that vitamin and the ultraviolet rays help in inducing it in the skin.
Moreover, the ultraviolet radiation can be used to treat psoriasis and some skin conditions. The radiation can also be used to kill bacteria and other viruses. Some air cleaners use ultraviolet radiation from an artificial source.
Overexposure to this can cause negative results. It could result to undesirable health effects to the immune system, eyes and the skin. That is why it is advisable to use sun block to the skin and to the eyes.
Sun block can be used to protect the skin and other sensitive parts from overexposing to the ultraviolet radiation. Physical, non-liquid based sun blocks such as umbrella and clothes can be used to defend the skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. Sunglasses can be used to protect the eyes when attempting to look at the sky or during hot sunny season.
Opaque materials that can be used to block the skin from the sun's heat and radiation are titanium oxide, talc and zinc oxide. Zinc oxide and titanium oxide are things that can be sought out in a sunscreen. They can protect the skin from UVB and UVA.
UVA can bring long-term destructive effects to the skin. It can cause premature aging. Meanwhile, UVB has a wavelength that, when the skin is overexposed, can result to skin sunburn.
The most popular form of sun block is the sunscreen lotion. This kind of lotion may contain oxybenzone that can absorb ultraviolet light or titanium oxide and zinc oxide which reflect the radiation. A combination of those compounds can be found in a sun block lotion.
Sun block lotion normally has sun protection factor. This factor is used as a measurement for a sunscreen's effectiveness. The higher the sun protection factor or SPF of a sun block lotion, the more it can effectively block ultraviolet B radiation from the skin.
Staying inside a home or a building can help from having sunburn or skin damage during hours where the sun can bring destructive ultraviolet radiation. However, it is unavoidable for most individuals not to go out during a hot season. Sun block lotion is perhaps the helpful way to apply on the skin when going outside under the heat of the sun.
