Introduction
Living in this modern society, we have the world at our fingertips. Any question
or concern could be answered and validated within milliseconds. Contrary to that, the tall tale saying the sun is bad for our skin has been passed down generations by word of mouth. We’ve been told to cover up in the sun at the risk of getting skin cancer without any concrete proof. Now, with multiple experiments and evidence to support this theory, the internet would agree with the statement that the sun is harmful to our skin, but has new evidence about what the sun is doing to the inside of our bodies.
Evidence that Sun is Bad
To answer the question everyone is probably thinking right about now is yes, the sun is bad for
the skin but only if it’s been over-exposed. It will increase a persons chance of getting skin cancer and leave dark or aging 
spots on the body. Evidence in this statement is found Sara Gandini’s 2004 study, which was an observational meta-analysis experiment on melanoma. Extreme sunburns and exposure to the sun was proven to be a large factor of getting melanoma, a rare skin cancer whose aspects are poorly understood by most. Although these factors were supported fairly, the participants skin was qualified as sensitive, making the data very controversy. Even with that factor, the conclusion of this study was determined that too much sun exposure will increase the likelihood of getting skin cancer. The key word is too much, being over-exposed to the sun is harmful, but what happens to the body if it gets the correct amount of sunlight?
Evidence that Sun is Good
The correlation between a sunny day and being in a good mood is scientifically undetermined, but I can personally validate that the two are correlated. The sun is a free mood enhancer because of the serotonin that is released in our bodies after. The science behind why Serotonin is a chemical that is released only when we are satisfied with something. That is why it’s also referred to as the happy chemical. Serotonin levels are higher during the summer because people are exposed to more sunlight so they are usually more content then. Being in the sun is a good way to get these chemical pumping through our bodies so if a person is not exposed to the sun as much as they are needed to, it is possible that they may develop Seasonal Affective Disorder. Also known as SAD, this condition is a mild case of depression. This usually is diagnosed in the winter, when the sun shines for less than half the day. During that time, people amy experience less energy which then leads to having less motivation to do things.
The biggest benefit the sun gives people is the abundance amounts of Vitamin D that it releases. This vitamin is essential for our bone growth which is why it may also be referred to as the sunshine vitamin. It absorbs calcium and phosphorus which is necessary for our immune system and also fights depression, so overall, its a good vitamin to have lots of. A randomized double-blind, placebo controlled study was conducted to determine if a Vitamin D supplement and fat mass loss in females was correlated. They added a calcium supplement and no statistical significant fat mass loss in the study. When low-calcium supplement was taken, a significant decrease in fat mass was seen. They concluded that the supplement had effect but many other factors were needed for it this theory be considered fully true.
Conclusion
Humans are like plants, they absorb and process the sunlight in order to grow. The suns rays do have a high risk but the benefits of them outweigh the bad. Some tips to getting only the benefits out of the sun:
-WEAR SUNSCREEN
-Sit in the sun in intervals (20 minutes of sun, 10 minutes of shade)
Citations:
Good post Julia! And I agree with you when you say that sunlight is beneficial for humans in moderation. When going out in the sun, you definitely need to take precautions, i.e. wear protective clothing and sunscreen, but going outside on a sunny day can be beneficial to someones physical and mental health. In fact, even my grandfather who has very sensitive Irish skin will sit outside on sunny days.
I found this article which brings up some very interesting points about Vitamin D and sunlight. It actually states that most Vitamin D deficiencies are due to lack of sun exposure. The article goes on to describe a study in which increasing Vitamin D, actually led to decreased risks of contracting certain cancers. It is a very thought provoking article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290997/
When considering if the benefits outweigh the risks I would say yes. An individual is able to regulate their time in the sun, and as long as they act responsibly and take necessary precautions before exposing their skin to harmful UV rays, then I do not see the problem in responsible sun exposure.
Julia, very interesting topic and good job organizing the post! However, I would have to disagree and say that the benefits of the sun do not outweigh the risks. For the environment, yes, the sun is absolutely vital for it’s survival and well-being. But when it comes to humans I think that the negatives outweigh the positives. To be in a good mood just because the sun is out seems really nice and yes it gives us Vitamin D but there are alternatives to this. The weather should not be the soul purpose for one’s happiness and there are Vitamin D supplements available in almost every super market. The chance of getting cancer due to the sun is so high these days and stressed so heavily that I just can’t seem to put that aside to focus on the small benefits. However, that is just my opinion and you are rightfully entitled to yours. Really interesting blog post, good job!
Great post Julia! I never wear sunscreen and this summer i started to develop white spots on my skin. Ever since that i always wear sunscreen. You never think anything is gonna happen but then it does. http://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/celebrities-who-had-skin-cancer/#02 Melanoma is more common than you think and extremely deadly. Its important to stay safe in the sun!!