Comprehensive Health Guide

Chronic exposure to direct sun may result in malignant (cancerous) and non malignant effects on skin. The and non malignant effects of chronic sun exposure are discussed here.

Exposure to sun cause photo-damage to the skin. The sun-exposed skin (long and chronic exposure) consist of wrinkling, blotchiness, and a roughened, irregular, “weather-beaten” leathery appearance. Whether this effect (photoaging) represents accelerated chronologic aging or a separate and distinct process is not clear.

Thickening occurs to chronically sun-exposed epidermis (outermost layer of skin) of skin. UV-A (UV or ultraviolet rays of sun are divided into A and B based on wavelength) is important in the pathogenesis of photoaging in human skin. The dermis and its connective tissue matrix are the major site for sun-associated chronic damage, with a massive increase in thickened irregular masses of abnormal elastic fibers in skin. Collagen fibers of skin are also abnormally clumped together in the deeper dermis of sun-damaged skin and UV-A seems to be primarily involved for clumping of collagen fibers.

There is similar molecular features like connective tissue damage and elevated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs are enzymes which cause the degradation of the extra-cellular matrix, ultimately leading to enhanced collagen breakdown.

On chronic exposure to sun the skin changes that occurs are thickening of skin, wrinkling of skin, rough, and “weather beaten” appearance of skin.

Many mechanisms and factors play role in causing sunburn. The most important factor in causation of sunburn after acute exposure to direct sunlight is the degree of melanin pigmentation (the number of melanocytes in skin) in skin. The darker the skin, the more is the number of melanocytes and the lesser effect of sun on the skin. The reason why blacks do not get sunburn or have any effect (if any effect also very minor and insignificant) of sun is presence of very large number of melanocytes with large amount of melanin pigment.

The UV spectrum of sunlight:

Ultra-violet (UV) spectrum of sunlight is the main culprit in causation of sunburn, although other wavelengths may also have some minor effects. The UV spectrum reaching the earth is arbitrarily divided into two major segments, comprising the wavelengths from 290–400 nm into UV-B (Ultra-violet-B) and UV-A (Ultra-violet). UV-B consists of wavelengths between 290 and 320 nm and UV-A represents those wavelengths between 320 and 400 nm. Wavelengths between 290 and 320 nm is the most efficient in producing redness or erythema in human skin and hence is sometimes known as the “sunburn spectrum”.

Photons in the UV-B are more than 100 times (fold) more effective in producing redness of sunburn than photons of UV-A. But UV-A may contribute to sunburn redness at midday when much more UV-A is present in the solar spectrum than UV-B.

Inflammation as cause of sunburn:

Sunburn is due to dilatation of the blood vessels of dermis (the inner layer of skin). There is a time lag of approximately 4 to 12 hours time in between skin exposure to sunlight and the development of visible redness, which suggest there is delayed production and/or release of vasoactive mediator or inflammatory mediators, or cytokines, that diffuse to the dermal vasculature to evoke dilatation of blood vessels. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like Ibuprofen can reduce sunburn erythema, which proves that inflammation plays important role in causation of sunburn.

Sports history is full of steroids abuse and dope scandals. Even present-day also the use and abuse of steroids is still a significant problems of sports authorities. Use of anabolic steroids for enhancing performance is against the universal brotherhood spirit of the games and sports. Many mega sports events like Olympic games are shadowed by doping scandals and in most of the cases are due to abuse of steroids.

Commonly abused steroids in sports are Stanozolol, Nandrolone, Clenbuterol, Methandrostenolone and many more. The availability of these steroids online without prescription has made it more easy to use and abuse. You can get any steroids by just clicking mouse of your computer while sitting in the comfort of your home.

But sports persons and other steroids abuser should keep in mind that they may cause some potentially serious side effects like liver damage, which is a serious side effect and can be reduced by using injectable steroids rather than oral steroids. Other common side effects of steroids are gynecomastia, virilization, cholesterol disturbances and skin problems to name a few.

Gynecomastia or male breast development is a common side effect of steroids in male users. Virilization is also common among female users of steroids. These side effects can be prevented to some extent by use of safer steroids like Arimidex or Nolvadex.

Development of acne is also common side effect of steroids, especially in oily skin people with some predisposing factors. Frequent face and body washing using anti-bacterial or anti-acne soap can reduce the problem of acne.

Steroids reduce good cholesterol or high density lipoprotein (HDL) and increase bad cholesterol or low density lipoprotein (LDL) in blood and has bad impact on health of the heart.

What is sunburn?

Sunburn is painful condition of skin due to acute exposure to direct sunlight, which is caused by UV-B (ultra violet-B rays of sunlight). Skin may become colored and the epidermis part of the sunburned skin may peel off after few days. Generally the ability to tolerate sunlight is directly proportional to the degree of melanin pigmentation of individual skin i.e. the more melanin in skin the better is tolerance of sunlight. Melanin is a complex tyrosine polymer, which is synthesized by specialized epidermal dendritic cells known as melanocytes (present in epidermis or the outer layer of skin) and is packaged into melanosomes that are transferred via dendritic process into keratinocytes, thereby providing photoprotection and also causing dark color of skin. Exposure to sun also can increase the number of melanocytes (known as melanogenesis).

Same degree of exposure to direct sunlight may not produce same effect in different individuals, some individuals get severe sunburn with exposure to direct sun, but some do not get any sunburn at all. The effect of sun exposure depend on the type of skin the individual has. For example blacks do not get any sunburn due to presence of large amount of melanin in their skin.

The following is the skin type and sunburn sensitivity pattern of different individuals with different skin type:

1. Type-I (type of skin) : skin always burns (sunburn) but never tans.

2. Type-II : skin always burns, but sometimes may tan.

3. Type-III : skin sometimes burns and sometimes tans.

4. Type-IV : skin sometimes burns and always tans.

5. Type-V : skin never burns, but sometimes tans.

6. Type-VI : skin never burns but always tans.