The Darker Side of the Sun
Sunlight and The Damage It Can Cause
Anatomy of Sun Damage
 | Sunlight is made up of ultraviolet rays. UVA penetrate the dermis, eroding collagen and elastin, the stretchy substance that support skin. Results: wrinkles. UVB damage basal cells (the curvy layer of tiny cells in the epidermis, and squamous cells (flat layers of cells closer to the skin's surface), producing a burn; chronic damage to these cells can cause them to become cancerous. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, may result when pigment-producing cells in the basal layer are damaged. |