6 Comments

What about time spent outdoors and an increase in skin ageing and cancer risk?

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Sunlight exposure reduces cancer risk: https://sunlightinstitute.org/sunlight-cancer-protection/. Melanoma is related to sunburn but not total sunlight exposure (which is protective - e.g. people in outdoor occupations have a lower risk of melanoma: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9335442/).

It does accelerate skin ageing, so I recommend using a broad-brimmed hat to protect facial skin.

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Do you need to wear a broad rimmed hat all year round? Will a cap do in cooler months? Do you only need a hat on sunny not cloudy days?

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Depends on latitude. If further from the equator, I suspect you could get away with a cap. Cloud doesn't greatly reduce UV levels; it's easy to burn on a cloudy day if you haven't built up tolerance to the sun.

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What about risk of freckles developing due to sun exposure?

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If you're freckle-prone, you'll certainly develop freckles if you go out in the sun, but freckles aren't like-threatening :).

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