Why You Should Wear Sunscreen on Flights
Did you know that when we fly on an airplane, UV rays are even more intense than when we're on land? The reason for this is because we’re closer to the ozone layer and the UV rays that reach us from higher elevations are stronger. One hour of time in the air flying in an airplane exposes us to UVA rays equivalent to 20-minutes in a tanning bed.
A 2015 study published in Jama Dermatology linked HERE looked into the skin cancer risks for pilots and cabin crew. According to the study, airplane windows and windscreens are typically made of polycarbonate plastic or multilayer composite glass - both blocking UVB rays, which is great, but they unfortunately do not block UVA rays.
While it's great the windows block UVB rays it's definitely concerning they do not account for UVA, and here's why. Most people don't know that there are two types of rays from the sun - UVA and UVB. UVB rays cause sunburn effecting the top layers of the skin, while UVA rays effect deeper layers of the skin and cause/are associated with skin aging. However, both are linked to skin cancer. For pilots, the study found that flying in a cockpit for about an hour at around 9,100 metres (30,000ft) exposes them to the same amount of UVA radiation as a 20-minute tanning-bed session.
Personal Client Story: I recently had a client who is a flight attendant and is very often in the air ask me about some uneven pigment and redness that has recently popped up on one of her arms. I asked her if she sits by the window mostly on the side of that arm... to which she said yes!
What to remember to protect your skin when flying are:
wear long sleeves
wear SPF
re-apply your SPF every two hours
close the blind of your window
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