From mild sunburn to death from hyperthermia, the sun poses many risks for those who stay in its rays either too long at once, or for many hours during the course of their lives. Understanding the dangers of exposure to sunlight can help you enjoy the outdoors while staying safe and avoiding serious consequences.
Sunburn
According to the American Skin Association, "There is no such thing as a healthy tan." Dermatologists consider a tan as an injury. A tan is burned skin, with permanent damage to cells, which can lead to skin cancer. In addition to more serious problems, sunburn can cause pain, blistering and eventually dry, flaking skin.
Hyperthermia
Too much time in the sun during high temperatures can lead to hyperthermia, or a body temperature which your system cannot regulate to keep you safe. Forms of hyperthermia include heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Cramps occur after sweating has drained the body of the water, sodium, potassium, electrolytes and minerals needed by muscles for contractions. Heat exhaustion results in fatigue, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, and a lack of coordination and mental acuity, and is caused by loss of water and salt. Heatstroke is the body's inability to keep its temperature low enough to keep the body safe from overheating. It can lead to convulsions, delirium, coma and other central nervous system problems and eventually, death.
Melanoma
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that starts in the cells which make the pigment melanin. While it can occur inside the human body, it is most associated with skin cancer. Despite the fact that it is one of the less common forms of skin cancer, it is the most deadly. According to the National Cancer Institute, almost 70,000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year, with more than 8,000 deaths occurring each year from the disease.
Cataracts
Overexposure to UV radiation can cause damage to human eyes in the form of cataracts. Cataracts are a loss of lens transparency, which can cause cloudiness of vision and eventually, loss of sight.
Wrinkles
Long-term overexposure to the sun can cause actinic keratosis, or a degradation of the skin. This thickens the skin, making it appear dry, wrinkled and leathery. Actinic keratosis is considered a pre-cancer which can lead to a variety of skin cancers.
