The Effects of Sun Exposure

Despite its many benefits, the sun's UV (ultraviolet) rays can harm people, especially children. Solar radiation is listed as a "known cancer-causing agent," just like arsenic, asbestos, radon and tobacco smoke. Furthermore, the sun's harmful UV damage adds up. The more sun a person gets, the more likely they are to develop skin cancer, cataracts and other problems.

UV radiation is known to cause:

Skin cancer: There are over one million new skin cancer cases each year in the U.S. That is five times more common than breast cancer!

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. In fact, there are more basal cell carcinomas each year than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. There are about 800,000 new cases in the U.S. each year.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer. There are more than 200,000 cases each year.

There are about 54,000 new cases of melanoma each year. It is the most deadly kind of skin cancer. About 7,400 people die from melanoma each year.

Sunburn: Both children and adults can get a painful burning that comes from too much sun. Childhood sunburn severe enough to cause blisters has been linked to risk of melanoma later in life.

Photoaging: As UV exposure builds up over a lifetime, skin can become wrinkled, leathery and marked with dark spots. This is photoaging.

Tanning: There is no such thing as a safe tan. Suntan is a sign that the sun has damaged the skin. Tanning kills skin cells and permanently changes the skin's connective tissue. These changes lead to wrinkles later in life.

Freckles: Freckles are an early sign of sun damage, even on children.

Immune Suppression: UV exposure also can suppress the immune system. Thus, lots of sun can make it harder for children's bodies to fight off infections.

Drugs and the Sun: Some antibiotics and other drugs can increase the sun's effects on the skin.

Eye Problems: Sunlight can also damage children's eyes. Single episodes of very bright sun can burn the eyelids, cornea and retina. Daily sun over many years can cause problems, such as cataracts, corneal damage, macular degeneration, and cancers of the eye area. Macular degeneration and cataracts can lead to blindness later in life.