What Is UV Index?
What Is UV Index?
Natural Life Energy
What does UV mean? UV stands for ultraviolet and the UV Index is the international standard measurement of the strength of the ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun.
The UV Index will be different depending on your location and the particular time of the day. The UV Index increases as the time gets closer to noon and decreases further away from noon.
The UV Index is strongest between 10AM and 2PM.
The purpose of the UV Index is to help people protect themselves against excessive ultraviolet light exposure which can result in sunburns, eye damage, skin aging, and skin cancer.
The UV Index is a scale from 0-11 which rates the strength of the UV rays coming from the sun and it contains five categories. Recommendations are given on how to protect yourself from excessive UV radiation for each category.
One important thing to keep in mind is the recommendations are given for adults with pale to lightly tan skin. Pale to lightly tan skinned children who are sensitive to the sun need to take extra precautions.
The reason the recommendations are given for pale to lightly tan skinned people is because of the lack of melanin in the skin which offers natural protection against UV radiation.
Understanding the UV Index is also important for people who wish to get their vitamin D from the sun. The sun produces both UVA radiation and UVB radiation, but we need UVB radiation from the sun to produce vitamin D in the skin.
UVB radiation is available from about two hours before noon and about two hours after noon, which is also strongest point of the UV Index. Understanding the UV Index can help you to get the required amount of vitamin D which is essential for healthy living.
Though darker skin offers more protection from UV radiation than pale to lightly tan skin, it is important for everyone to understand the UV Index recommendations in order to protect themselves against harmful effects of overexposure to UV radiation.
UV Index Recommendations
Recommendations given for people with fair to lightly tan skin.
| UV INDEX | Description | Recommended Protection |
| 0-2 | Low danger from the sun’s UV rays for the average person | Wear sunglasses on bright days,use broad spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen on sensitive skin |
| 3-5 | Moderate risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure | Stay in shade near midday when the sun is strongest, wear protective clothing if you are outside, wear spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen |
| 6-7 | High risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure | Reduce time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, wear protective clothing if you are outside, wear spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen |
| 8-10 | Very high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure | Minimize time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, wear protective clothing if you are outside, wear spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen |
| 11+ | Extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure | Avoid sun exposure between two hours before and after noon, wear protective clothing outside, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses. |
Source: http://www2.epa.gov/sunwise/uv-index-scale
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