Knowing UV Rays, the Rays Needed to Produce Vitamin D

UV rays can benefit the body as they provide a number of health benefits. However, if UV rays are exposed excessively, they can actually cause health problems and be harmful to the body.

One of the largest sources of UV light is the sun. As we know, UV rays are needed to produce vitamin D which is excellent for the absorption of calcium in the body.

If you are still not familiar with UV rays, the following explanation will review the benefits and risks. Hopefully, it can add insight!

Read: Types of Vitamins and Their Functions to Maximize Child Growth

What Is UV Light?

UV light is ionizing radiation, meaning that it frees electrons from atoms or molecules, which can cause chemical reactions.

UV rays are divided into three categories that are listed in the order of increasing energy, namely UVA, UVB, and UVC.

UVC is the most dangerous, but luckily, the earth has an ozone layer and other atmospheric components that can filter everything out before it reaches the earth.

This is also the case with most UVB rays. But, almost all UVA rays manage to reach the surface of the earth.

The differences between the three of them launching the Cancer Organization are as follows:

UVA has the least energy among other UV rays.

These rays can cause skin cells to age and can cause some indirect damage to DNA cells.

UVA rays can trigger long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but they can also act as a trigger for some types of skin cancer.

UVB has slightly more energy than UVA light.

They can damage the DNA in skin cells directly, and are the main rays that cause skin burns. They are also thought to cause most skin cancers.

UVC has more energy than other types of UV light.

Fortunately, because of this anyway, they react to high ozone in our atmosphere and do not reach ground level, so they are not usually a risk factor for skin cancer.

But UVC light can also come from some man-made sources, such as arc welding torches, mercury lamps, and UV sanitizing lamps used to kill bacteria and other germs (such as in water, air, food, or on surfaces).

Use of UV Light in Medical Devices

Did you know, if UV rays also have benefits for the world of health?

Therefore, many discoveries in the health world today make UV light-emitting devices to help treat a wide variety of diseases.

Here are some examples of the use of UV rays in medical devices.

1. Sunlamps and Sunbeds (Tanninng Bed)

The amount and type of UV radiation a person is exposed to from a tanning bed (or cubicle) depend on the specific lamp used in the bed, how long a person has used it, and how many times it has been used.

Most modern UV sunbeds emit most of the UVA light, while the rest are UVB.

UV rays cause darker skin post-tanning because it affects melanin in our skin. Melanin is a pigment in our skin that is produced by cells called melanocytes and gives color to our skin.

2. Phototherapy (UV Therapy)

Some skin problems (such as psoriasis), can be helped by treatment with UV rays.

For a treatment known as PUVA, a drug called psoralen will be administered first before the treatment is administered.

The drug will accumulate in the skin and make it more sensitive to UV rays. Then the patient is treated with UVA radiation. Another treatment option is the use of UVB alone (without medication).

According to Informed Health, the treatment will be given in a special cabin with fluorescent lamps that emit UV light of a certain wavelength.

There are also lamps that can be used to treat every part of the body, such as the head, hands, or feet.

3. UV Germicidal Lights

Germicidal or bactericidal ultraviolet lamps are often used in the medical field to help control the disease from spreading.

This lamp provides a powerful ultraviolet energy effect that makes it excellent for cleaning the air and killing germs and bacteria.

These lamps can also be used to get rid of mold and various types of viruses. The hospital uses germicidal UV lamps to sterilize surgical instruments and even air in the operating room.

It is securely installed so that no one is exposed to its rays directly and excessively.

That's the information about UV rays, hopefully useful!