The human body benefits from sun exposure. And a little bit of tan protects you from the sun. Right? Wrong!

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The body does indeed benefit from sun exposure. But a little bit of tan does not necessarily protect you from the sun. Let's see why.

The sun's rays are a major source of vitamin D and help the body's systems acquire much needed calcium for building healthy bones. However, most people don't need to spend large amounts of time exposed to the sun in order to get their required amount of vitamin D.

In fact, the body's health can actually suffer negative effects when it's exposed too long to the sun's rays, especially if it's unprotected. Results can vary from skin and eye damage to immune system suppression and ultimately cancer, even for the young.

So let's look at the basic facts about sun exposure.

There are three kinds of invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays in the sun that reaches earth: UVA, UVB, and UVC. When these rays come in contact with our skin, affects of UVA and UVB can be - tans, burns and other reactions (e.g. like acne and cancer).

It's also notable that the effects of all UV rays are not the same. Depending upon the season, time of day and place on the planet in relation to the sun - (i.e. your altitude and latitude), the rays' intensities vary. For example, during summertime, UV rays are at their strongest. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the rays are strongest. And close to the equator and at high altitudes (where air and cloud cover are less, resulting in increased harmful penetration of UV rays into the environment), the rays are also strongest.

In order to protect ourselves from the harmful UV rays, let's look at the skin's first defense - melanin.

Melanin is a chemical present in a variety of colors and concentrations in most people's skin that helps with defense from the sun. Melanin reacts with UV rays and absorbs them. Or rather, to be more specific, the rays act upon melanin, causing the melanin to spread out or grow, increasing its presence in response to the sun's exposure. The result? A 'sun tan'. The darker the skin color, the more melanin the skin has for protection. And 'tanning' for darker color is included here; 'color' does not have to refer to just the original skin color.

A word of caution...

Tanning may look great on the surface, - but the amount and length of time a person is exposed to the sun, determines the amount of possible damage. It also determines the future risk of damage that's likely.

For example, people who are exposed to the sun in huge doses like ship crews, field workers and beach surfers, are at higher risks for skin damage than indoor workers. What happens is that when the amount of UV exposure is greater than what the skin's melanin can handle, sunburn can result. And those with lighter, fairer skin, who have less melanin, absorb less UV, suffering less protection.

Since research has shown that UV damage from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer, (with as high as 20% of some populations developing skin cancer during their lifetime), we need to take a proactive approach in relation to sun exposure to avoid harmful skin damage.

As we say colloquially here in Australia - "Slip, Slop, Slap". (I.e. 'Slip' on a shirt, 'Slop' on a hat, 'Slap' on a sunscreen). Look after the skin you've got, because you're the one who will be living with it!

If there's one thing in common that is shared by many people, it is the fact that they don't want brown spots to develop on their skin. Brown spots are often mistakenly associated with age. This is a major misconception since it has been established by experts that the development of these spots has nothing to do with age. Calling them sunspots is more appropriate since brown spots and freckles are induced by the sun. Of course, everybody wants to fade sun spots on their skin since they are unsightly and make you look older than your age.

First of all, you need to take preventive measures to reduce the appearance of sun spots. Do not overexpose yourself to the sun. The sun's ultraviolet rays are the ones that initiate skin discoloration and it is the only reason 샌즈카지노 why sun spots are present on your skin in the first place. If you can't help going out or if your work requires you to, limit the hours that you have to display yourself to the sun and always find a shade to hide yourself during peak hours.

Bring an umbrella if you have to attend an outdoor activity. Light-coloured and closely knitted fabrics have certain advantages when it comes to protecting yourself to the harmful effects of the sun. The light colour doesn't absorb the rays of the sun and clothing materials that are woven tightly keep the sunrays from penetrating your clothes and eventually getting to your skin. Even if you only have to go out for a while, always make it a point to smear a generous amount of sunscreen on your skin. If you have any existing sun spots, the sunscreen keeps them from getting darker.

You can fade sun spots by using chemically-induced products. Over-the-counter products are effective in eliminating spots that are still not too dark and big in size. However, do not use any random products that catch your eye. Don't rely solely on glossy advertisements either. Some dark spot treatments are loaded with harmful chemicals that will only generate more problems rather than alleviate them. Products with hydroquinone are the most recommended whitening treatment. However, this ingredient is also controversial and some experts say that long term use can cause damaging effects.

If you want a safer way to help you fade sun spots, perhaps you would want to consider various home remedies. A mixture of ¼ cup borax and ½ cup of sugar is known to lighten skin after regular use. Let the mixture stand for 48 hours and stir at least once a day. Use a q-tip to apply the mixture on the affected areas. Another effective home remedy is a mixture of borax, glycerine and water. Grated horseradish soaked in vinegar and buttermilk is also sworn by many to be effective in lessening brown spots.

If you want a more immediate result, consult a dermatologist. Treatments like chemical peel, cyrotherapy and laser resurfacing are expensive alternatives in removing sun spots. Any of these treatments is very effective but comes with a high cost. They can also be dangerous if not done properly. Always follow your dermatologist's advice to avoid any complication after a particular treatment.