How the Sun Affects Your Skin: Benefits, Risks & Damage Explained

Posted by Invity Team on 28th May 2025

The Sun and Your Skin: What You Need to Know

The sun's warmth on your face can truly brighten your day.

The sun is needed for life and our bodies are designed to benefit from it. For example, sunlight helps regulate sleep-wake cycles, improving rest and energy levels. It also helps us produce vitamin D, which supports strong bones and overall health.

Too much sun, though, can harm your skin in ways that can build up over time. Let’s explore how the sun is both good and bad for your skin!

How Does the Sun Affect the Skin?

Sunlight reaches the Earth in a mix of visible and invisible rays. Among these, ultraviolet (UV) rays can impact your skin the most. UV rays come in three types:

UVA Rays: Penetrate deep into the skin, causing long-term damage to collagen and elastin. These rays are responsible for wrinkles, sagging and leathery skin.
UVB Rays: Affect the outer layer of the skin, causing sunburn and contributing to DNA damage that can lead to cancer.
UVC Rays: This is the shortest and most dangerous of the three UV ray forms, but is blocked from reaching the Earth’s surface due to the ozone layer. The only way we can be exposed to UVC rays is through artificial means, such as through lasers or lamps.

As the two forms that reach us, UVA and UVB rays can harm skin cells, affecting their growth and appearance. Learn more about UVA and UVB.

Infrared Light & Skin: Benefits and Risks

Infrared (IR) light, a type of invisible light that generates heat, has both potential benefits and risks for the skin. On the one side, near-infrared (NIR) therapy may boost collagen production, reduce inflammation and help with wound healing, similar to red light therapy. Far-infrared (FIR) exposure, on the other hand, especially from high-heat sources like sun exposure or saunas, may speed up skin ageing by breaking down collagen and elastin over time. Unlike UV light, IR doesn’t cause sunburn or DNA damage, but prolonged exposure can lead to thermal damage and dehydration.

So, why is the sun the worst enemy of the skin? Over time, too much exposure can lead to:

Premature ageing (wrinkles, leathery texture or thinning skin). Consider the Youth Activating Essence to protect your skin’s barrier and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Reduced skin elasticity.
DNA damage, which can increase the risk of skin cancer.

Some people question, ‘Why does my skin do better in the sun?’ This is because, interestingly, UV light has some anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce swelling and redness. Another of the benefits of sun on skin is that it provides the body with vitamin D, but you only need 10–15 minutes of sun exposure on small areas like your hands or face to produce enough vitamin D.

Skin Conditions Caused by Sun Damage

So, the skin and sun exposure. Spending too much time in the sun can harm your skin over time, leading to issues like:

Hyperpigmentation: Patchy skin tone due to uneven melanin production. Learn about how to prevent and treat dark marks.
Sunburn: Painful red skin or blisters caused by UV rays.
Freckles and age spots: Dark spots from long-term sun exposure.
Melasma: Dark patches on the face, worsened by sun and hormones.
Actinic keratosis: Rough, scaly patches that may lead to skin cancer.
Skin cancer: Includes basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous melanoma.

Protect your skin by using sunscreen, wearing protective clothing and limiting the time you’re in the sun. Always check for unusual spots or sun damage in skin and speak to a doctor or dermatologist if needed.

The Link Between UV Rays and Skin Cancer

Too much UV exposure can damage the DNA in skin cells, leading to abnormal cell growth. This growth can form tumours, some of which may develop into skin cancer. The three main types of skin cancer are:

Basal Cell Carcinoma: Common and rarely life-threatening.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Also common but slightly more aggressive.
Melanoma: Less common but more serious, as it can spread to other parts of the body.

In 2020, too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation caused around 1.2 million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancers and 325,000 melanomas of the skin, along with 64,000 premature deaths from non-melanoma and 57,000 from melanoma. Melanoma deaths are projected to hit 96,000 by 2040.

In 2022, the top five nations of skin cancer caser were:

U.S.: 101,388
Germany: 21,976
U.K.: 19,712
Australia: 16,819
France (metropolitan): 15,729

Risk factors for melanoma include a family history of skin cancer, numerous or irregular moles and severe sunburns during childhood.

Knowing the link between sunburns and cancer, it’s important to reduce the time you’re in the sun and protect your skin when you are.

UV Index: What You Need to Know

What is the UV Index?
The UV Index measures sun radiation levels on a scale from 0 (Low) to 11+ (Extreme). Certain countries, such as in Australia, often have high UV levels year-round, even on cool or cloudy days.

When to Protect Yourself

Protect your skin when UV levels reach 3 (Moderate) or higher. UV peaks between 10am–2pm (or 11am–3pm during daylight savings).

How UV Works

UV is invisible and unrelated to temperature.
It reflects off surfaces like water, sand and snow, increasing exposure.
Snow doubles UV risk due to the high altitude and reflection intensifying radiation.

Why UV is Dangerous

A sunburn is DNA damage, raising skin cancer risk, along with mutations, premature ageing and lower immunity.
Tanning is visible cell damage (there’s no ‘safe’ tan).
Damage is cumulative; even low exposure adds up over time.
May unbalance skin bacteria. Probiotics and repairing UV damage is an exciting area for future research!

Stay Safe
Use all 5 types of protection:

Clothing
Hat
Sunglasses
Sunscreen (on exposed skin)
Shade

How Does the Sun Age Your Skin?

One of the effects of the sun on the skin is premature ageing, a skin ageing known as photoageing, which occurs when UV radiation damages skin cells.

The sun emits two main types of UV radiation that harm the skin, UVA and UVB. When UV rays hit the skin, they trigger the formation of free radicals — unstable molecules that damage cells, DNA and proteins. This process weakens the skin's structure and speeds up ageing.

The middle layer of the skin, called the dermis, contains collagen (which provides structure and strength) and elastin (which gives skin the ability to bounce back) fibres that keep your skin firm, smooth and youthful.

UV radiation breaks down these fibres, leading to wrinkles and fine lines, sagging and loose skin, and a leathery, rough texture. Over time, damaged collagen is replaced incorrectly by enzymes that malfunction due to UV exposure, worsening the skin’s appearance. Consider using SuperNAD Youth Activating Facial Sheet Masks to refresh and hydrate your skin, using NAD to activate your skin’s cell defences.

Sun ageing can look like wrinkling, pigmentation changes like age spots and freckles, rough and uneven texture, broken capillaries around the nose and chest, loss of skin tone, redness and blotchiness. Learn about the signs, causes and best solutions for skin ageing.

How Much Sun Exposure Will Damage Skin?

You’ve probably heard that ‘there’s no such thing as a healthy tan.’ A tan is your skin's way of protecting itself by producing melanin to block UV rays. While it might look nice temporarily, a tan is a sign of DNA damage.

It’s tricky to know how much sun is too much because UV light, the culprit behind sun damage, isn’t something you can see or feel. To make it more confusing, the sun’s warmth (infrared light) isn’t linked to UV levels — so a cool, cloudy day might still pack harmful UV rays.

The intensity of UV rays depends on several factors, such as the time of the day (between 11am and 3pm), your location, altitude and environment, as surfaces like snow, water and sand reflect UV rays, increasing your exposure.

The UV Index (UVI) tells you how strong UV radiation is in your area. The higher the UVI, the more protection you’ll need. On days with a high or extreme UV Index, seek shade, wear sunscreen and cover up.

UV Index	UV Intensity
0 to 2	Low
3 to 5	Moderate
6 to 7	High
8 to 10	Very High
11+	Extreme

Your skin type determines how quickly UV rays can cause damage. Learn more in our blog about the Fitzpatrick Scale.

Skin Type	Max Time Before Sunburn
I – Very fair skin	10 minutes
II – Light skin	20 minutes
III – Light to medium brown skin	30 minutes
IV – Olive or medium brown skin	50 minutes
V – Brown skin	Over 60 minutes
VI – Very dark brown skin	Over 60 minutes

While darker skin offers some natural protection due to higher melanin levels, everyone — regardless of skin tone —is at risk of sun damage and skin cancer. Lighter-skinned individuals are generally more vulnerable, but everyone should be following sun-smart habits.

Keep in mind that the Fitzpatrick Scale above has its limitations, despite being widely used. Due to this, there are calls for a revision to improve its accuracy in diagnosing, treating and in research for different skin tones and types.

Why Does the Sun Bother My Skin?

Another of the known sun exposure effects is having a sun allergy. This term covers conditions where sunlight or UV rays trigger uncomfortable reactions. Symptoms often include itchiness, redness, small bumps or even blisters, appearing within minutes to hours after being in the sun.

Sun allergies happen for various reasons. For some, it’s an overreaction of the immune system to sunlight. Others develop issues due to triggers like medications, skincare products or even contact with certain plants. In some cases, the condition runs in families.

Certain factors increase your risk, such as lighter skin, specific medications (like antibiotics or retinoids) and the season. Sun allergies are more common in spring or early summer when your skin hasn’t yet adjusted to increased sunlight.

How to Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage

Preventing sun damage is important to maintaining healthy, youthful skin:

Use broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30+), even on cloudy days. For a lightweight sunscreen the improves your skin texture, try the Youth Activating Invisible Mineral Sunscreen.
Wear protective clothing, hats and sunglasses.
Avoid peak sun hours (10am to 4pm).
Stay in the shade when outdoors.
Avoid tanning beds — they emit concentrated UV radiation and significantly increase the risk of skin cancer.

It’s also important to teach sun-safe habits to children early, as they have more years of potential exposure ahead.

Want ageless skin? Unlock the secrets for each decade!

Be Sun-Smart Year-Round

Sun protection isn’t just for summer. UV rays can damage your skin in winter, on cloudy days and even through windows. By adopting year-round protective habits, you can prevent early ageing, reduce the risk of skin cancer and keep your skin looking healthy.

Consider downloading the SunSmart Global UV App, launched by the World Health Organisation, as it gives you information about UV rays and weather forecasts.

If you notice any unusual spots or changes on your skin, don’t ignore them — get them checked by your doctor.