Sun cream: Striking pictures show effects of UV rays on woman, 92, who only ever protected her face

dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11180999/Sun-cream-Striking-pictures-effects-UV-rays-woman-92-protected-face.html

September 5, 2022

By Joe Davies

A shocking photo lays bare the consequences of only using sun cream on your face and not your neck.

A 92-year-old woman was left with a sun-battered neck covered in wrinkles and liver spots after choosing not to use UV-protective moisturisers below her face for more than 40 years.

But the pensioner, who was not named, was left with unblemished skin on her face, where she had used SPF products.

Experts from the Technical University in Munich, Germany, said the images show the 'striking difference in solar damage' between parts of the body that were protected in the sun.

They warned not enough is being done to encourage sun cream use, which is vital in reducing skin cancers.

The NHS encourages everyone to use at least factor 30 protection. 

Regular users of sun cream with SPF 15 or higher can cut their risk of melanoma — a skin cancer that kills 2,300 people in Britain and 7,650 in the US every year — in half, studies suggest.

A 92-year-old woman has been left with a sun-battered neck covered in wrinkles and age spots because she did not use UV-protection below her face for more than 40 years.


Sunburn increases a person's risk of skin cancer.

The woman's picture was first reported in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Writing in the journal, dermatologist Dr Chritsian Posch said the picture shows how 'preventing the negative effects of UV-radiation is both important and actionable'.

He said: 'Clinical examination reveals a striking difference in solar damage between her cheek and neck.'

Looking older because of the passage of time is natural — but doing so because of sun exposure is known as photo-aging. 

Around 90 per cent of all visible changes to the skin are caused by photo-aging, the Skin Cancer Foundation claims.

UV rays can penetrate the first two layers of skin — the epidermis and dermis — and damage cells' DNA. 

Damage in the top epidermis layer causes the body to produce melanin, as part of its attempt to block the sun from continuing its assault.

This usually results in the body tanning, as the substance produces a darker pigment in the skin. 

Exposure to UVA waves, which have a longer wavelength and penetrate deeper than to the other form of UV, UVB, leads to damage in the middle dermis layer over time.

The layer contains collagen, elastin and other fibres supporting the skin's structure.

The deeper penetration damages these proteins, leading to the skin gradually becoming looser and wrinkly.

This is why UVA radiation is considered the main cause of photoaging. UVB is the type of ray more associated with sunburns. 

Meanwhile infra-red light, which is felt as heat, and high-energy visible (HEV) light from the sun are also linked with damaging the dermis.  

The combined effects can lead to the skin becoming looser, more wrinkly and liver spotted.

Dangers from blue light exposure worsen with age: ‘Detrimental to human health’

studyfinds.org/blue-light-expsoure-harmful

July 31, 2022

Image by Krzysztof Kamil from Pixabay

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Constant exposure to blue light from phones and computers is very harmful to people. Researchers from Oregon State University say the damaging effects of daily, lifelong exposure to blue light worsen as a person ages.

Natural light is critical for a healthy circadian rhythm, which is important for a person’s eating and sleeping patterns. However, being constantly subjected to blue light disrupts sleep and causes circadian disorders. Jaga Giebultowicz, a researcher in the OSU College of Science who studies biological clocks, notes people are exposed to increasing amounts of light in the blue spectrum because LEDs emit a high fraction of blue light.

“This technology, LED lighting, even in most developed countries, has not been used long enough to know its effects across the human lifespan,” says Giebultowicz in a university release. “There are increasing concerns that extended exposure to artificial light, especially blue-enriched LED light, may be detrimental to human health. While the full effects of blue light exposure across the lifespan are not yet known in humans, accelerated aging observed in short-lived model organism should alert us to the potential of cellular damage by this stressor.”

Oregon State researchers analyzed the survival rates of common fruit flies kept in darkness and then moved at older ages to an environment of constant blue light from LEDs. The fruit fly was used because it shares cellular and developmental mechanisms with other animals, including humans.

The flies were transitioned from darkness to light at the ages of two, 20, 40 and 60 days. The study involved blue light’s effect on the mitochondria of the flies’ cells. Researchers say mitochondria act as a cell’s power plant, creating adenosine triphosphate, a chemical energy source.

Flies under blue light. (Credit: Oregon State University)

Previous research showed that prolonged exposure to blue light affected flies’ longevity, including whether or not it shined in their eyes. Flies had shorter lives after being exposed to daily cycles of 12 hours in light and 12 hours in darkness, compared to flies kept in total darkness or those kept in light with blue wavelengths filtered out.

Researchers say flies had impaired locomotion because blue light damaged their retinal cells and brain neurons. They had diminished ability to climb the walls of their enclosures.

“The novel aspect of this new study is showing that chronic exposure to blue light can impair energy-producing pathways even in cells that are not specialized in sensing light,” says Giebultowicz. “We determined that specific reactions in mitochondria were dramatically reduced by blue light, while other reactions were decreased by age independent of blue light. You can think of it as blue light exposure adding insult to injury in aging flies.”

Researchers suggest, to combat blue light, people should get eyeglasses with amber lenses. This filters out blue light and protects your retinas. You can also set your phones, laptops and other devices to block blue emissions.

The study is published in Nature Partner Journals Aging.

Tags: aging, blue light, circadian rhythm, mitochondria, retina, sleep

Source: WebMD

What Air Conditioning Does to Your Body

June 25, 2021

Medically Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Affects Indoor Air

1/12

If you work in an air-conditioned building with poor ventilation, it can raise your risk of “sick building syndrome.” Symptoms include headaches, dry cough, dizziness and nausea, trouble concentrating, fatigue, and sensitivity to odors. Forced indoor air may also slightly raise your risk of COVID-19. But the CDC says the risk is small. Lower it even more with regular filter changes, opening windows, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Dehydrates You

2/12

Air conditioners suck moisture out of a room to bring down the humidity and cool it off. This can pull water from your skin, drying it -- and you -- out.

Dries Out Eyes

3/12

The lack of humidity in air-conditioned spaces can dry your eyes. This can make them irritated and itchy and may even make your vision blurry.

Boosts Metabolism

4/12

Studies show more time in cold weather may help you lose weight. Your body may develop a greater amount of healthy, energy-burning “brown fat” as it deals with more frigid air. Air conditioning in hot weather can help keep you in a cool state, but you’ll also have to lower your indoor temps in the winter to see a real benefit.

Helps You Think

5/12

A 2018 Harvard study showed that students who lived in dorms without A/C during hot summer months did worse on cognitive tests than those who had cool central air.

Irritates Airways

6/12

Studies show that people who work in air-conditioned buildings have more respiratory problems (irritated nasal passages, trouble breathing) than people who work in buildings with natural ventilation.

Can Make Your Head Ache

7/12

If you spend time in indoor spaces with HVAC systems that are dirty or not well-maintained, you’re more likely to have headaches or even migraines. In one study, 8% of people who work in unhealthy indoor air environments had headaches 1-3 days a month, and 8% had daily headaches.

Lowers Your Heat Tolerance

8/12

Scientists have coined the term “adaptive comfort model” to describe why spending more time in air conditioning makes it harder to deal with hot temperatures. Your ideal temperature depends in part on whatever temperature you’ve recently been exposed to. The more you hang out in spaces pumped full of A/C, the less comfortable heat and humidity will feel.

Pollutes the Outside Air

9/12

Older A/C units can release CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). This is a refrigerant that can harm the ozone layer, heating up the Earth. The U.S. Clean Air Act began phasing these coolants out in the '90s, but there are still many in use across the globe.

Ramps Up Allergies

10/12

If you keep your A/C clean, it can help tame allergies. But an HVAC system can quickly become a home for microbial allergens. Be sure you have your system inspected regularly and keep it well-maintained so you don’t add to your allergy issues.

Helps You Sleep

11/12

Experts say sleeping in a room that’s between 60-67 degrees is ideal for the best rest. This is because your body cools down as part of a natural sleep cycle, so a cool room helps that happen. Sometimes A/C is the tool you need to get your sleep space to the right temp.

Saves Lives During Heatwaves

12/12
Air conditioning may come with some negative effects, but there’s no doubt it can be lifesaving when temperatures soar. Once your body temperature goes above 102 degrees, you’re at risk of heat exhaustion -- nausea, cramps, dizziness, feeling faint -- and if you continue to heat up, you could get heat stroke.