Sun Protection

The sun is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers us vital vitamins that are essential for the body such as vitamin D. On the other hand, excessive exposure to Ultraviolet radiation (UV) can have detrimental effects on the body. Examples of these are skin cancer, photoaging, and skin aging. Let’s start with highlight how the sun affects the skin.

The sun emits harmful ultraviolet rays in the form of Long Wave Ultraviolet (UVA) and Short Wave Ultraviolet (UVB). UVA has the potential of penetrating the dermis (the skin's thickest layer) causing skin aging and wrinkling (photoaging) (1). Surprisingly, UVA rays can penetrate the thickest clouds and the glass!

Unfortunately, UVB rays are the main culprits of skin reddening and sunburns, because it attacks the skin's superficial epidermal layers. On top of that, these rays have been proven to be one of the major causes of deadly skin cancer. This has been proven by studies that report the UVB rays to causes 90% of all skin cancer cases!

How is Green Tea Helpful?

There exist numerous tales about how to protect oneself from the ultraviolet radiation. But today, the emphasis will be on a product that does not have devastating side effects on human bodies, this is unlike most chemical products on the market. To start with, it is not even chemically processed but rather a naturally occurring product—Green tea extract. The legacy of green tea just goes on and on, with new discoveries of its powers being formulated with each passing day.

Scientists have confirmed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea. The latest studies now confirm that green tea extract (taken orally or applied topically) has the capability of protecting you from ultraviolet rays. Quit amazing, right?

Green tea contains water-extractable polyphenols such as catechins (molecules belonging to the flavonoid family) that have immense benefits. The primary type of catechins found in green tea extracts is epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG). Other polyphenols include epicatechin (EC) and epicatechingallate (ECG). However, it is EGCG that does most of the magic when it comes to the skin's protection from the harmful ultraviolet rays. According to reports from the British Journal of Nutrition, the active compounds found in green tea make the skin more resistant to ultraviolet radiation (2).

How does this happen? Well, recent studies have asserted that flavonoids found in green tea tend to absorb the harmful ultraviolet rays before they cause damage to the skin surface. In most cases, when the skin is exposed to too much ultraviolet radiation, sunburns (characterized by skin becoming red, swollen and painful to touch) will occur. Almost everyone has been affected by sunburns at one time in his/her lifetime. Well, don’t worry anymore; because green tea extract will offer you the protection you crave by giving you the opportunity to enjoy your vacation, instead of worrying about sunburn.

Another fascinating way that green tea extract protects your skin is by warding off sun-induced signs of aging.  Premature skin aging can be in the form of wrinkling, loss of skin elasticity, skin thinning, and leathery skin.  The compounds in green tea extracts such as EGCG have been shown to make the skin cells stronger and increase the skin's collagen level (3). Collagen is the skin's main structural protein that gives it its strength and elasticity thereby curbing skin sagging and wrinkling.  It is therefore imperative that the level of collagen does not diminish, and that is when green tea extract is necessary.  

Green tea extract may also have the potential to reverse skin damage caused by ultraviolet rays. YES, green tea extract has passed studies showing that the spots and scars caused by the UVA and UBVB rays on the skin can be cleared by green tea extract. Medical reports have proven that green tea extract has the ability to repair and reverse ultraviolet radiation damage on the skin, making you look young again. The extract does this by rebuilding the support tissues of the skin, making the skin more smooth and supple, and possibly reducing wrinkles.

Green tea extract may also protect and develop keratinocytes (the skin cells that make up 90% of the epidermis). This results in the thickening of the skin, which leads to fewer and fewer wrinkles and ultimately restoring your skin’s youthfulness and glow. 

Ultraviolet radiation can also attacks the epidermal cells and damage your DNA. This raises the chances of developing skin cancer. When the immune system is low and the DNA is damaged, it results in harmful oxidation and inflammation that produces the ideal environment for the development of cancer cells. Studies have indeed proven that the harmful ultraviolet radiation (UV) cause diseased skin cancer such as melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. It also causes pre-cancerous skin conditions such as actinic Keratosis.

Green tea extract may also increase the skin's immune system, protect against DNA damage, and compounds such as EGCG may reduce the metabolic changes of the skin associated with the development of cancer (4). Green tea extracts quench the free radicals and lower inflammation levels, therefore, removing the opportunistic conditions for the development of skin cancer.

The benefits of green tea extract to your health may be extensive, from protecting against premature skin aging, to inhibiting skin cancers. Quite simply, green tea extract is one product that should not be lacking in your daily life. You can utilize its benefit by taking it directly as green tea, or you can obtain it in balanced proportions from supplements.

Exposure to the sun comes with the good and the bad. On one hand, exposure to sunlight makes us feel great, elated and illuminates our skin. Who wouldn't want to sunbathe in Ibiza? On the other hand, exposure to excessive sunlight comes along with some detrimental repercussions.  Not only does it increase the skin aging process but it can also result in skin cancer!

Dr. Manish Khanna, a Canadian dermatologist mentions that UV rays are the number one cause of skin problems; from irritation to premature skin aging. For Dr. Khanna a suntan is much more about the damage than bringing about a "healthy glow." It has indeed been proven one the greatest causes of skin cancer and skin aging is UVA and UVB rays (1, 2)!

The World Health Organization has stressed this assertion by classifying the sun's ultraviolet radiation as "carcinogenic to humans." How this happens is a mystery to many, but the one thing that is universally agreed is that ultraviolet rays are harmful to the humans and causes skin aging and accelerates the risk of skin cancer (3).

What is Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation?

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) is a type of radiation produced by the sun and some (although rarely known) artificial sources such as solariums. The sun’s radiation is regarded as the number one cause of eye damage, premature aging, sunburn, and skin damage leading to skin cancer. There are two dominant types of UV rays that affect the skin— the Long Wave Ultraviolet (UVA) rays and the Short Wave Ultraviolet (UVB) rays. Skin sunburn is caused primarily by the UVB rays. These rays are considered the deadliest as they cause the most photo-damage and lead to skin cancer (4).

UVA rays, on the other hand, penetrate deep into the skin causing rapid aging of the skin (5), albeit its contribution to sunburn and eventually skin cancer is minimal. All in all, most studies (6) have demonstrated that sun’s exposure accelerates the skin aging process by promoting the "extrinsic aging" branding it as one of the primary cause of premature aging.

How does UV Radiation Cause Skin Aging?

When UVA rays penetrate the skin to the dermis (the thickest layer of the skin), it results in the mutation and division of the skin cells producing melanin. This results in irregular pigmentation, freckles, premature wrinkles, as well as cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions. All these cause loosening (laxity) and stretching; which are the aspects of premature aging (photo-aging) (7). Cell damage as a result of excessive UV rays exposure implies that the skin cells will no longer repair or nourish themselves. This is because the UV rays not only impair the synthesis of new collagen but also breaks down its production.

The UVAs also alter the elastin fibers, the other supportive tissue apart from collagen. When those two tissues are affected, the skin loses its flexibility and elasticity which leads to loosening (8). In a nutshell, some of the consequences of UV exposure to the skin include:

• Dryness of the skin
• Freckles
• Vascular disorders
• Lack of elasticity
• Sagging skin
• Wrinkled and loose skin
• Leathery skin texture
• Telangiectasia
• Pigmentation heterogeneities
• Elastosis

How Does UV Radiation Cause Skin Cancer?

The most prevalent type of cancer in the world is skin cancer, and its numbers are worryingly hiking every single day. As aforementioned, the UVB rays are the central cause of sunburns which eventually lead to melanoma cancer. The UVA, on the other hand, penetrates the dermis causing immune suppression, photoaging, and genetic cell damage. These rays also affect the process of cell division which leads to uncontrolled growth of the epidermal skin cells leading to malignant or benign tumors. This means that even without sunburn, the UV rays can still cause skin cancer.

Ultraviolet radiation exposure has been noted as the primary cause of skin cancer. It can be experienced in three main ways; Basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. They can be broadly be classified as either non-melanoma or melanoma skin cancer. A certain study has indeed shown that 90% of non-melanoma and 86% of melanoma skin cancer is as a result of UV radiation (9).  Melanoma is the severer of the two and develops in the melanocytes. Melanomas can grow very quickly if left untreated—an aspect that highlights its severity. Besides, the moment the tumor grows through a lymph vessel, there is a higher possibility that the cancer cells will break off and rapidly spread to other body parts.

The non-melanoma skin cancers are all other cancers that occur on the skin that are not melanoma. These too can be invasive and rapidly grow across the skin's surface if not treated well in advance. But the best thing about these cancers is that they are treatable and manageable. It is important to note some of the symptoms associated with skin cancer as the treatment process is much easier during the early stages rather than during later stages. The symptoms of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer tend to vary. Below is a list of symptoms that indicate you either have melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer and you should seek medical help as soon as possible;

• Brown scar lesion
• Waxy bump(s)
• Crusted surface
• A firm red nodule
• Dark lesions all over the body
• Brownish spots
• A mole that is constantly changing in size, texture or bleeds occasionally (10).

We often associate a beautiful complexion with good health, but as we’ve seen, skin color obtained from the sun—or in a tanning booth—can increase the risk of developing skin cancer or accelerate the effects of aging. The two main culprits in these two processes are UVA and UVB rays. UVA radiations penetrate deeper into the skin and are responsible for photo-aging. Conversely, UVB radiations are more lethal and are responsible for the majority of sunburns which causes melanoma—the most serious type of skin cancer. Staying protected against these two types of radiations is an absolute necessity. Besides wearing protective clothing and seeking the shades, we recommend that you protect your skin against sunburn with everyday nutrients such as green tea extracts!