Current sun protection advice provided to the public flawed
September 30, 2018
Abstract
Currently, health agencies recommend that no sun-protection is required when the UV Index (UVI) is less than 3. We use high-quality data from spectroradiometers and model calculations to demonstrate peak UVI is below the threshold for advising protection, the daily dose of sun-burning UV available frequently far exceeds the threshold for damage to fair skin. This may have important health consequences, as populations at mid latitudes include a significant proportion with fair skin that is susceptible to damage.
Source:
Mckenzie, R. L., & Lucas, R. M. (2018). Reassessing Impacts of Extended Daily Exposure to Low Level Solar UV Radiation. Scientific Reports, 8(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-018-32056-3