The sun is your skin’s worst enemy. Most people believe that getting tanned in the summer and getting beautiful colored skin, does not do us any harm. That may be true, if we do it once in a blue moon, with sunscreen protection on, and very early in the morning. However, society and most teenagers, are getting very confident with the sun. They are not thinking about the mistake they are making, while they sit on top of a beach towel and get burned by the sun. A tanned skin is a damaged skin. Sunburn does a lot more damage to our bodies than we really think it does. We should wear sunscreen daily to protect ourselves from the harmful exposure of the sun, because of the ultraviolet radiation, it can cause cancer and lots of damage to our skin.
The sun is full of ultraviolet radiation, which really harms our skin. When sunburn happens, it is a clear sign that the DNA in our skin cells has been damaged too much by UV radiation, declares The Cancer Research Center in the UK. Nonetheless, The NASA Science Center confirms that fortunately about 95 percent of UV-B rays are absorbed by ozone in the Earth's atmosphere. By reading these you may think that you do not have to worry because the ozone layer will take care of your skin. However, The NASA Science Center continues explaining that “each year, a 'hole' of thinning atmospheric ozone expands over Antarctica, sometimes extending over populated areas of South America and exposing them to increased levels of harmful UV rays.” This occurs because of all the damaging gases that are in the atmosphere. The humans are the ones responsible for this problem. Furthermore, slowly the ozone layer, our biggest protector against the UV waves, will disappear and then, who will be there to protect us?
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
Many people do not care about getting burned because they do not actually know the drastic effects it can have on their skin. Moreover, the ones that do know it is bad, do not really know the severity of the problem. What actually happens to my skin when I get a sunburn? According to MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas, “When the sun reaches the skin, it damages the skin cells and causes mutations that can eventually lead to melanoma and other types of skin cancer.” This is only one of the many consequences the sun can do to us. “The sunburn will eventually heal, but some of the surviving cells will have mutations that escape repair. These cells could eventually become cancerous”, confirmed the MD Anderson Cancer Center. My grandmother did not know the dangerous effects the sun had on her skin when she was a teenager. Sadly, because of the sunburns, when she grew up she had to remove a big skin part of her skin’s forehead. The Doctor said that if she did not remove it, it could lead to numerous sicknesses. “Getting sunburn, just once every 2 years, can triple your risk of melanoma skin cancer”, demonstrates The Cancer Research, UK. My grandmother did not have any other choice. For this reason, since I was a little girl, I was taught to always take care of my skin. Preventing is the clue to not making a mistake we might regret later.
Aside from cancer, there are many more inconveniences of getting exposed to the sun. The American Academy of Family Physicians, in “Family doctor” warns us that skin change, early aging, lower immune system, and eye injuries are additional outcomes the sun creates in our body. Everyone is at risk when exposed to the sun. We have to take care of our skin, whatever the age, color, or sex. Women are more prone to recognize these effects later on in life by spending hundreds of dollars on anti-aging creams, and face products to correct their ignorance. Marie Claire Magazine UK informs us that an average woman spends around £18,000 on make-up during her lifetime. This was a survey conducted by Superdrug, which is a beauty, health, and skincare company. This means that if we actually took care of our skin when we were young we could stop wasting money on products we do not truly need, for example, anti-aging creams, moisturizers, wrinkle ointments, etc. Knowing this information and taking care a little more, can save us lots of money, yet most vital, our lives.
Sunscreen is the best, and most effective way to prevent any further damage on the skin caused by sunburns. “Foundation can help you repair and possibly even reverse these signs of skin aging, up to 90 percent of which are caused by the sun.” explains The Skin Cancer Foundation, New York City. Summer is not our only problem, we should be careful all year round and use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. “Sunscreen is one of the keys to radiant, youthful-looking skin. Daily use may even lower your long-term risk of skin cancer. By reducing your daily sun exposure, sunscreen allows your skin time to heal and your immune system the chance to repair some existing damage”, reveals The Skin Cancer Foundation. Therefore, if you are starting now, it is never too late. You can start taking care of your skin today and change your own future by undoing some harm already done.
Many people may think that it is worth getting a suntan because you have to get vitamin “D” from the sun. Moreover, that could be true because vitamin D is not found naturally in most of our foods. Nevertheless, The Cleveland Clinic says that many foods today are prepared with vitamin D during the manufacturing process. Thus, sun exposure is not as important for the body's vitamin D supply as it used to be. Furthermore, many people like to go outside and play different sports. Doing that is healthier than sitting on the sofa and watching TV. Nevertheless, you can still protect yourself with sunscreen while enjoying a nice walk in the park.
In conclusion, getting a sunburn is not worth all the damaging effects it has on your future. Just by taking care of your skin, you can reduce many skin diseases, including skin cancer, early aging, and eye injuries. Now we know how much damage sunburn can cause to our skin in the long term. It is never too late to take care of yourself. Let’s take advantage of our time and use daily sunscreen protection, even on the days we are not going outdoors since the ultraviolet sun waves still go deep into our skin. As Coco Chanel says, “Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.”
Works Cited
- Bramlet Blackburn, Kellie. “What Happens When You Get a Sunburn”. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, March 2017 www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/What-happens-to-your-skin-when-you-get-a-sunburn.h24Z1591413.html.
- “Coco Chanel Quotes”. Brainy Quote. www.brainyquote.com/quotes/coco_chanel_145791.
- “Effects of Sun Exposure”. American Academy of Family Physicians. Clinical Recommendation on Skin Cancer, January 26, 2017. BBBBBB BB www.familydoctor.org/effects-early-sun-exposure/.
- “How the Sun and UV Cause Cancer”. Cancer Research UK, 28 April 2017 www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer/how-the-sun-and-uv-cause-cancer.
- Natalie Lukaitis, “How Much We Spend on Make-Up During Our Lifetime Will Shock You”. Marie Claire UK, October 16, 2017 www.marieclaire.co.uk/beauty/make-up/women-spend-makeup-during-lifetime-443008#tRSFf6phwxq65DfM.99.
- “Repair (and Even Reverse) Signs of Sun Damage”. Skin Cancer Foundation, September 10, 2009 www.skincancer.org/healthy-lifestyle/anti-aging/repair-and-even-reverse-signs-of-sun-damage.
- Science Mission Directorate. 'Ultraviolet Waves'. NASA Science. 2010. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves.
- “Sun Damage: Protecting Yourself”. Cleveland Clinic my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/5240-sun-damage-protecting-yourself.
Stuck on your essay?
