Latest news with #skindamage
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
There's A Serious Reason Why You Should Be Extra Careful If You Have The Window Seat On A Plane, And I Truly Never Would've Guessed This
Earlier this year, TikTok user FindingFiona uploaded a travel video that got serious attention, garnering more than 2 million views and 1,000 comments. In the post, she emphasized the importance of wearing sunscreen on flights, citing reports of people incurring more sun damage when they're at higher altitudes. 'Even though you're inside the aircraft, because of the high altitudes, you're actually experiencing stronger UV radiation, especially if you're in the window seat,' she says in the video. According to dermatologists, the TikToker's claim is partially correct — but it's also a little wrong. 'The good news is that the true risk from one flight, or somebody who flies occasionally, is probably low,' said Dr. Elizabeth Jones, an assistant professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. But Jones noted that for flight crew members and pilots, the risk is higher. 'People who are flying occupationally, they're going to be exposed much more to ultraviolet light given — especially if they're in the cockpit — the size of the windshield,' and given all the time they spend at a higher altitude, she said. Jones pointed to a 2015 study that found pilots and cabin crew have roughly twice the incidence of melanoma, a less common but more serious form of skin cancer, when compared to the general population. So, there is a connection between flying and sun damage. Below, dermatologists explain what you should know about your sun damage risk when you're at cruising altitude. Airplane windows block out most UVB rays, but not all UVA rays. 'Airplane windows effectively block out most of the UVB rays,' Jones said, referring to the rays that can cause sunburn and skin cancer. So even if you're sitting in the window seat, you likely won't end up with sunburn after a flight. But that doesn't mean other damage can't occur. This is also true for non-airplane windows, said Dr. Jennifer Holman, a dermatologist with U.S. Dermatology Partners Tyler in Texas. 'Most typical windows in a house or a car are going to filter out ... like 97%, 98% of the UVB radiation, which is typically the wavelength that people think of that causes sunburns,' she said. While windows block these rays, they don't block all rays. According to Jones, airplane windows don't fully keep out UVA rays, which can 'cause premature aging, wrinkles and ultimately can contribute to skin cancer as well.' (Jones did note, however, that 'some of the older windows block out about 50% of UVA rays' and 'some of the newer models are more effective at even blocking out UVA.') Again, this goes beyond airplanes: Holman said most glass windows, including your car windows and the windows at your local coffee shop, also don't offer UVA protection. In general, 'most glass does not filter out UVA,' she noted. Wearing sunscreen on a plane can protect you from these harmful rays, which Holman said penetrate 'more deeply into the skin' and put you 'at risk for different types of skin cancer, including the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma.' So, who needs sunscreen on an airplane? The short answer: everyone. Sunscreen is important for folks to wear daily, whether or not you're taking a flight. 'As a dermatologist, of course, I'm encouraging all of my patients to wear their sunscreen as a daily habit every day, just for the exposures that we face and the free radicals that are out in the world from UV radiation,' Holman said. While it is important for everyone to wear sunscreen on a plane, Jones said certain people should take particular caution. 'Who should consider wearing sunscreen on a plane?' she said. 'Certainly, someone with a personal or family history of skin cancer may want to get that added protection by using a sunscreen.' Folks with fair skin who are more sensitive to the sun should consider that added protection, too. The same goes for people with medical conditions that make them susceptible to sun damage, and people who are on medication that increases sun sensitivity, Jones noted. Holman said that when shopping for sunscreen, you should find one that's labeled 'broad-spectrum,' meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. This is always necessary, including on a plane when you aren't protected from that UVA light. Beyond sunscreen, Holman stressed that other protections are also helpful. 'The importance of physical protection, too ― wearing hats, sun protective clothing, sunglasses ― all those things continue to be important as we're protecting ourselves from ultraviolet exposure,' she said. This article originally appeared in HuffPost.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I have permanent skin damage from using tanning nasal spray twice – it made me dizzy & nauseous too, says former Miss GB
THEY promise to give you a glowing, bronze complexion, but the new trend of nasal tanning sprays is packed with risks. So much so, former Miss GB Jen Atkins has issued a stark warning after using one of the sprays just twice left her extremely ill and with persisting hyperpigmentation on her face. 4 4 The 31-year-old, who won the Miss GB pageant in 2020, was offered a free nasal tanning spray in exchange for promotion through Instagram. But the unlicensed product came with a host of negative side effects and left her with permanent skin damage. Nasal tanning sprays contain a substance known as melanotan II which may stimulate melanin production when inhaled and transferred into the bloodstream. Most are not regulated by health authorities, meaning that the quality, safety and dosage of each product could vary, and some products may be contaminated or unsafe. As such, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is urging the public to avoid any tanning product that is 'inhaled or ingested'. It warns of side effects including nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, and changes in mole shape and size. The sprays could also cause coughing, sneezing and nasal congestion due to irritation of the respiratory tract. Jen knows these nasty side effects all too personally - and it only took one use for her to suffer. 'I was naive and I just took the product,' the beauty queen, from Grimsby, revealed on This Morning. 'I used it twice. 'The first time, it made me feel so sick and dizzy. I was actually driving to work, so how incredibly dangerous was that? 'My face was bright red, itchy - it was just horrific. 'Silly me tried it again the next day and it was even worse. 'I thought I was going to throw up on the way to work. It was just awful.' Costing from £20 to £35, nasal tanning sprays are a hit with younger people and have become a social media phenomenon. However, the process is considered unsafe as melanotan II is illegal in the UK. Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus, said: 'We're becoming increasingly concerned about the use of both nasal tanning sprays and tanning injections and their potential links with melanoma skin cancer. 'These unregulated and illegal products not only pose serious health risks but also encourage harmful behaviours, particularly among young consumers. 'We urge the public to consider the long-term impacts on their health and avoid using these substances altogether.' 4
