Skinwfa Writer: Vivian Xu
Airplanes fly tens of thousands of feet in the air, and as we sit in our airplane seats, surrounded by dim cabin lights and the hum of distant engines, it makes us wonder how we could have ever imagined that our skin is being exposed to intense ultraviolet rays. Typically we put on sunscreen when we go to the beach, or when we play sports. The surprising fact is that even in the air, in a dimly lit cabin, sunscreen is a necessity! In this blog, we'll look at the reasons why we should apply sunscreen during a flight.
Altitude increases UV exposure:
Most of the harmful UVB rays can be blocked by specialized airplane windows, but the it cannot really block UVA rays. As the airplane gain altitude, the atmosphere becomes increasingly thinner, and there is less of it to absorb and scatter these sun rays. This means that our skin is actually exposed to a higher intensity of UVA radiation than it would be on the ground. UVA rays are associated with and are the cause of a wide range of skin diseases including skin aging, skin cancer, and other skin diseases, so even if you are on an airplane, make sure protect your skin by applying sunscreen!
2. UV radiation is more severe near the cockpit or windows.
If your seat is near a window, or near the cockpit, your exposure to UV radiation gets worse! Cockpit windows are usually made of a different material than passenger compartment windows, so more UVA rays will penetrate the windows. Pilots and crew who spend long periods of time near the cockpit are exposed to more UV radiation than the average passenger, so sunscreen has also become more of a part of their daily routine. For window seat passengers, their exposure to UVA rays is also very severe, and can cause serious UV damage to their skin. Therefore, if you have a seat that is near the windows or cockpit, to protect your skin, be sure to apply sunscreen before takeoff and reapply it during the flight to help mitigate the risk of skin disorders associated with prolonged exposure. Using sunscreen not only protects your skin from the aging effects of UVA rays, it also reduces the risk of long-term damage and potential health problems!
3. Increase in UV radiation cause by reflective surfaces and cloud cover
Have you ever thought that clouds can reflect sunlight? Right! Many of the increased UV rays on airplanes come from clouds reflecting, scattering sunlight. Because of this, this increases the risk of skin damage. So here is another reason why you should apply sunscreen during a flight!
So, by the time you're flying on an airplane, make sure you make your sunscreen your carry-on in addition to important carry-on items like your cell phone, headphones, etc! The next time you're on an airplane, remember that your skin is easily exposed to the sun, even when the cabin lights are dimmed and the plane is flying high in the air. Use sunscreen on your flight and your skin will thank you for the extra care!
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