Obviously, Las Vegas is known for sunny days.
Below is a few statements you should keep in mind when enjoying Las
Vegas
| False |
True |
| A sun tan is healthy |
A tan results from your body defending
itself against further damage from UV radiation. |
| A tan protects you from the sun |
A dark tan on white skin only offers an SPF
of about 4. |
| You can’t get sun burnt on a cloudy day |
Up to 80% of solar UV radiation can
penetrate light cloud cover. Haze in the atmosphere can even
increase UV radiation exposure. |
| You can’t get sun burnt while in the water |
Water offers only minimal protection from UV
radiation, and reflections from water can enhance your UV
radiation exposure. |
| UV radiation during the winter is not dangerous |
UV radiation is generally lower during the
winter months, but snow reflection can double your overall
exposure, especially at high altitude. |
| Sunscreens protect me so I can sunbathe much longer |
Sunscreens are not intended to increase sun
exposure time but to increase protection during unavoidable
exposure. The protection they afford depends critically on
their correct application. |
| Taking regular breaks during sunbathing you will not get
sun burnt |
UV radiation exposure is cumulative during
the day. |
| If you don’t feel the hot rays of the sun you will not
get sun burnt |
Sunburn is caused by UV radiation which
cannot be felt. Most of the heating is caused by the sun’s
visible and infrared radiation and not by UV radiation. |