Exercising in the sun without wearing a shirt is working at cross purposes. You're benefiting your body with the exercise, but you may be harming it with exposure to the sun, particularly if you aren't protecting your skin at all. The best way to guard it is with clothing, and secondarily with sunscreen. But even sunscreen cannot keep out all of the sun's harmful rays, which cause your skin to age and may lead to skin cancer.
The Sun
The sun emits two types of rays that damage the skin: UVA and UVB. UVB, which plays the largest role in sunburn, is strongest in the summertime and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. UVA, the more prevalent of the two types of rays, does not vary as much with the season or time of day and accounts for the lion's share of ultraviolet radiation that penetrates the atmosphere. It triggers the skin's tanning response.
Effects
You may think a tan is attractive, but it's actually your body's defense mechanism against further harm to the skin's DNA. Even if you aren't trying to tan, however, small exposures add up. It takes just a few minutes of unprotected exposure each day, over a period of years, to produce such unwelcome effects as wrinkles, mottled and leathery skin, age spots and perhaps skin cancer, says the American Academy of Dermatology. In men, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, the chest, back, neck, hands and forearms are some of the most common sites for skin cancer -- the same sites exposed by not wearing a shirt.
Prevention
The surest protection against the sun's rays is to exercise indoors. If outdoor exercise is important to you, however, precautions can minimize your exposure. Exercise before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid the most intense sun. Wear a shirt, even one with long sleeves, or at least wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Consider wearing a hat as you work out to protect your face and neck, and sunglasses to protect your eyes. Do just part of your exercise outdoors and finish the workout inside to cut down on your time in the sun.
Significance
Along with your exercise routine, protecting your skin from the sun is a basic way to help ensure good health. Skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the United States, affects more than 2 million people each year. Melanoma, the most deadly form, kills thousands annually. Taking steps to limit your sun exposure may help you avoid being among the fifth of Americans that will have skin cancer in their lifetimes.
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