Everyone enjoys the fun of summer. The beaches are active, we have a chance to work on our tans, and we have an excuse to lie about on the sand for hours while the sun is out. However, we are only starting to comprehend the effects of UV exposure and although there are some benefits we should be much more wary of our exposure to the sun. Let's break it down:

THE GOOD

The most beneficial gift the sun gives to the human body is frequently left unspoken. That is, short UVB rays are a chief deliverer of Vitamin D. So what does Vitamin D do for the body? Vitamin D protects and increases the survival rates against an array of internal cancers such as colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer, as well as many other diseases.

THE BAD

To even the kilter a little, it would be bias not to mention that exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB, from sunlight accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging, along with a host of other skin changes.

UV radiation is the number one instigators of:

Collagen breakdown - causing the formation solar scars and increasing the development of wrinkles

Free radicals - which destroy cell function and alter genetic material such as RNA and DNA of the cell, thereby increasing wrinkles.

Texture Changes Caused by the Sun - causing a thickening of the skin that enhances coarse wrinkles and yellow discoloration of the skin; as well as a thinning of the skin that causes fine wrinkles, easy bruising, and skin tearing.

Pigment Changes Caused by the Sun - enhances the occurance of freckles, and age spots or liver spots on the backs of the hands, chest, shoulders, arms, and upper back.

THE UGLY

Whereas the more dangerous effects of UV radiation include:

Skin Bumps Caused by the Sun - in other words, an increased number of moles and precancerous lesions called actinic keratoses, in addition to seborrheic keratosis which appear as warty lesions stuck onto the skin.

Skin Cancer Caused by the Sun - such as the 3 most common skin cancers: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. All of which are potentially fatal.

PROTECTING SUN DAMAGED SKIN

The simplest means of protecting against sun damaged skin is to avoid any unnecessary exposure to the sun's harmful rays. Moreover, there are a number of natural skincare creams available that assist in fighting the harsh damage caused by the sun.