The Truth Behind The Shades: Umbrella and Sunscreen

When it comes to choosing the right thing to protect skin from ultraviolet rays, tough decisions must be made - umbrella or sunscreen?

Summer time can be fun and exciting as many people go out and enjoy the sunshine at its best. However, sun exposure induced cumulative damage. Ultraviolet rays cause several skin irritations and even in severe cases, skin cancer. Up to 80 percent of ultraviolet ray A (long-wave) and ultraviolet B (short wave) passes through the clouds each day. These rays are so intense that even if there are no direct exposure from these rays, people can still receive quite a lot of it.

According to ABC, UV or ultraviolet rays can penetrate the skin through direct radiation from the sun or indirectly, radiation is reflected from the atmosphere above and/or bounced back from the surfaces like sand, concrete or even grass. So, even if people are not directly over the sun, which only blocks the direct UV, they can still have the effects of some skin irritations whether using an umbrella or under a shade.

Terry Selvin, education and research director with Cancer Council WA, said, "shade is great but it is far better than having any." She added, "If you are exclusively relying on shade, you can be a bit surprised and disappointed at the end of the day. You might find yourself with a bit of pink, or worse."

Skin Cancer Foundation explains that UV radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum that reaches the earth from the sun. It has wavelengths shorter than visible light that makes it invisible to the naked eye. Most of these rays are absorbed by the ozone layer and does not reach the earth.

However, some of the UV rays makes it through the atmosphere and absorbed by all things in the earth. Effects of UV in humans are evidenced by premature aging, eye damage and the most common, skin cancer. It also suppresses the immune system to fight the any ailments related to UV exposure and other illnesses.

There are several ways to minimize UV ray's exposure, and the most common of it is by using umbrella and sunscreen.

Umbrella provides UV protection but only to some extent. Even if it is made of fabric blocks that 100 percent of UV, UV dose is cut only in half. It is as effective as a sunscreen with SPF of 2. Likewise, even if under the shade of an umbrella, indirect UV exposure may also be acquired through reflections of sand, concrete and grass.

Also, some people opt to use sunscreen for their UV protection. The higher SPF or sun protection factor the better but it does not mean twice or thrice the screening. Above SPF 30, may give even less benefit, but there is benefit. The Skin Cancer Foundation said that SPF is not an amount of protection but rather, it is an indicator how long will it take for UV rays to redden skin when using sunscreen, compared to how long would take to redden without the product.

So, before plunging into the sunlit escapades, think twice what to use to protect oneself from getting to much exposure of the UV rays from the sun before it is too late.