Only a few people know: that's why sunscreen shouldn't be missing on a walk in the woods
Created: 08/08/2022, 20:26
By: Anna Lorenz
sunscreen in the sunshine?
Clear.
However, only very few are aware that protection against too much summer radiation is also important in supposedly shady forest areas.
Munich – It's annoying, it's painful and not necessarily visually appealing: sunburn.
Exposing your skin too much to the rays also puts your health at risk.
That's why sunscreen is important - even when walking in the woods.
Protection is important: IARC classifies sunlight as "carcinogenic" because of UV radiation
Anyone looking to cool off on warm summer days often decides to move the usual running and walking routes into the forest.
Quiet atmosphere, cool air and shady trees often tempt people to do without sun protection.
But this decision can be dangerous.
The UV radiation that affects our body when sunbathing penetrates the skin and eyes.
As reported by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, it causes changes, the most worrying: genetic damage.
However, human cells are able to level out such damage, which can occur even with low UV exposure.
However, if you sunbathe extensively or get a sunburn, you overload the body's own repair processes.
Chronically altered genetic material can be the result - the affected cell mutates.
For this reason, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also categorizes sunbeams as “human carcinogens” — the highest warning level.
Sun protection for a walk in the forest: Deceptive shadows pose a health risk
The same applies in the forest: sun protection is important.
(Iconic image) © Monkeybusiness Panthermedia25115842 IMAGO / Panthermedia
The shady branches of the trees do block the light;
However, they only reduce UV radiation – measured on the forest floor – by around 20 percent.
The reason for this is the UV-A rays it contains, which penetrate much deeper than the UV-B rays.
Radiation exposure is particularly high in the midday hours, when the sun is at its zenith.
According to the Thüringenforst state institute, the situation is even more dangerous when hiking on ridges: UV exposure increases by around 15 percent for every 1,000 meters of altitude.
As the state institute emphasized, it is therefore important to ensure adequate sun protection in the forest.
Not only sunscreen, but also a hat and sunglasses are important.
Alternatively, clothing made from UV-certified fabrics can also be used.
The advantage of this is that it also protects against intrusive insects.
(askl)