Are the sun's rays more aggressive at the beach or on the mountain?
So where would you get a more severe sunburn, beach or mountain?
Let's find out. Do you even need to wear sunscreen at the place where it's less severe?
The answer is YES! You need to wear sunscreen, no matter where you are (Heerfordt, Torsnes, Philipsen and Wulf, 2021). And the rule of thumb should be half a teaspoon for your face and neck with reapplication every 2 hours.
But where are sun rays more aggressive? Beach or mountain?
According to a study conducted by Ronald O. Perelman with the Department of Dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine, for every 1,000 feet of elevation you climb, you'll experience an 8-10 percent increase in ultraviolet intensity. So it means that if you are at around 7,000 feet elevation, you are exposed to almost 70% more sun rays than you would be if you were at sea level.
In a study, "melanoma incidence rates for Austrian inhabitants living at higher altitudes were found to increase by as much as 30% per 100 m altitude" (Schrempf et al., 2021). This research also studies the effect of snow on the incidence of skin cancer. Surfaces covered in snow cause an upwelling increase in UV radiation. (Is Multidirectional UV Exposure Responsible for Increasing Melanoma Prevalence with Altitude? 2016).
The increase in UV exposure due to snow is because the snow particles reflect most of the sunrays.
So YES! Sunrays are more aggressive in the mountains than at the beach.
But why is that?
It's because the higher we go, the less atmosphere is there for the sun rays to filter through. Some of the sun rays are reflected into space whenever they strike particles in the atmosphere. According to Schrempf et al., (2021), the sun rays can get scattered and absorbed, too, hence decreasing the number of sun rays reaching the earth's surface.
What can be done to reduce sun damage on the mountain?
According to research, "sunscreen should be applied twice before sun exposure, especially before an intense exposure" (Sunscreen Use Optimized by Two Consecutive Applications, 2018).
Needless to say, you need to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours to get maximum protection.
What should you look for in a sunscreen?
Choose a sunscreen SPF 30 or higher.
Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Choose a water-resistant sunscreen.
At Sea You Sun, we are only offering broad-spectrum sunscreens that efficiently blocks UVA & UVB sun's rays to struggle against sunburns, skin ageing and skin diseases. We also propose vegan, organic and eco-friendly sunscreens to fit your concerns and get a positive impact on environment.
Take a look at our sunscreens to find your ideal's: HERE
For further protection of the skin, you should wear a hat. The most dermatologist-approved way is to cover as much as you can with your clothing (Heerfordt, Torsnes, Philipsen and Wulf, 2021). Now that UV protection clothing is also available in the market, it's time we start investing in that.
References
Heerfordt, I., Torsnes, L., Philipsen, P. and Wulf, H., 2021. Sunscreen use optimized by two consecutive applications. [online] PLOS ONE. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5874020> [Accessed 20 September 2021].
Schrempf, M., Haluza, D., Simic, S., Riechelmann, S., Graw, K. and Seckmeyer, G., 2021. Is Multidirectional UV Exposure Responsible for Increasing Melanoma Prevalence with Altitude? A Hypothesis Based on Calculations with a 3D-Human Exposure Model. [online] MDPI. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5086700/> [Accessed 20 September 2021].