When indulged in safely with moderation, the sun and the Vitamin D you get from it are good for your skin.
We’ve been taught since we were kids that sun exposure is bad for our skin. And in excessive amounts, it is. However, a certain amount of sun exposure to unprotected skin is actually beneficial. In fact, the National Institutes of Health says that between five and 30 minutes of sun exposure to unprotected face, legs, arms, and back between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. two to three times each week allows your body to produce all the D3 it needs.
Furthermore, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) says most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D. The RDI, or recommended daily intake, of Vitamin D is 600 IU. If you have low Vitamin D levels, you will have to get more sun or take Vitamin D supplements in vitamin form.
To know if your Vitamin D levels are adequate, you will have to have your blood levels checked.
What to Know: Vitamin D Production and Sun Exposure
Your body naturally produces Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to UV rays and sunlight. This form of vitamin D is known as D3 (AKA cholecalciferol, derived from cholesterol). How much Vitamin D you receive from exposure to the sun will depend on many factors, such as:
Your location
The closer you live to the equator, the easier it is to synthesize vitamin D from the sun year round. People who live in Alaska, for example, create less vitamin D in the winter than people who live in Florida because they have more exposure to UVB rays. Also, if you live in an area with frequently cloudy weather, such as Washington state, you will get fewer UVB rays reaching your skin.
How much skin you expose
If you cover most of your body in clothing, you won’t get enough Vitamin D and you will be at risk of deficiency. The more exposure to the sun you get, the more Vitamin D you will get.
Skin color
Those with darker skin can’t synthesize Vitamin D from the sun as easily as light-skinned people. People with darker skin have more melanin, which reduces the body’s ability to make Vitamin D as a result of sun exposure.
The time of year and day
When the sun’s rays hit the Earth’s atmosphere at steep angles, UVB rays can be blocked. This usually happens in the earlier and later parts of the day, and most of the day during winter. For the most Vitamin D production, you should aim for sun exposure during midday.
Takeaways
All of this being said, you can’t overdo it. Too much unprotected sun exposure can increase your risk for skin cancer. It can also make your scars stand out more because scars don’t tan. You should always at least wear sunscreen on your scars to prevent their appearance from being emphasized.
Another way you can reduce scars’ appearance is to regularly massage Scarfade into the areas. Just twice a day is all that’s needed for the best results!