
Why You Need To Be Extra Careful If You're Sitting In A Window Seat On A Plane
Summer is here and everyone is sick and tired of being home. This summer was the record of people traveling all over the world and going on holidays!
The planes are fully booked and we are ready to go!
But...be careful where you sit :).
While the sun that feels so nice on your skin while looking at the magnificent clouds out of your window and daydreaming, there can be a higher risk of premature aging and even skin cancer!
Earlier this year, TikTok user FindingFiona uploaded a travel video that got serious attention, garnering more than 2 million views and 1,000 comments. In the post, she emphasized the importance of wearing sunscreen on flights, citing reports of people incurring more sun damage when theyâre at higher altitudes.
âEven though youâre inside the aircraft, because of the high altitudes, youâre actually experiencing stronger UV radiation, especially if youâre in the window seat,â she says in the video.
According to dermatologists, the TikTokerâs claim is partially correct â but itâs also a little wrong. âThe good news is that the true risk from one flight, or somebody who flies occasionally, is probably low,â said Dr. Elizabeth Jones, an assistant professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
But Jones noted that for flight crew members and pilots, the risk is higher. âPeople who are flying occupationally, theyâre going to be exposed much more to ultraviolet light given â especially, if theyâre in the cockpit â the size of the windshield,â and given all the time they spend at a higher altitude, she said.
Jones pointed to a 2015 study that found pilots and cabin crew have roughly twice the incidence of melanoma, a less common but more serious form of skin cancer, when compared to the general population.
So, there is a connection between flying and sun damage. Below, dermatologists explain what you should know about your sun damage risk when youâre at cruising altitude.
Airplane windows block out most UVB rays, but not all UVA rays.
âAirplane windows effectively block out most of the UVB rays,â Jones said, referring to the rays that can cause sunburn and skin cancer. So even if youâre sitting in the window seat, you likely wonât end up with sunburn after a flight. But that doesnât mean other damage canât occur.
This is also true for non-airplane windows, said Dr. Jennifer Holman, a dermatologist with U.S. Dermatology Partners Tyler in Texas. âMost typical windows in a house or a car are going to filter out ... like 97%, 98% of the UVB radiation, which is typically the wavelength that people think of that causes sunburns,â she said.
While windows block these rays, they donât block all rays. According to Jones, airplane windows donât fully keep out UVA rays, which can âcause premature aging, wrinkles and ultimately can contribute to skin cancer as well.âÂ
Again, this goes beyond airplanes: Holman said most glass windows, including your car windows and the windows at your local coffee shop, also donât offer UVA protection. In general, âmost glass does not filter out UVA,â she noted.
Wearing sunscreen on a plane can protect you from these harmful rays, which Holman said penetrate âmore deeply into the skinâ and put you âat risk for different types of skin cancer, including the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma.â
So, who needs sunscreen on an airplane?
The short answer: everyone.
Sunscreen is important for folks to wear daily, whether or not youâre taking a flight. âAs a dermatologist, of course, Iâm encouraging all of my patients to wear their sunscreen as a daily habit every day, just for the exposures that we face and the free radicals that are out in the world from UV radiation,â Holman said.
While it is important for everyone to wear sunscreen on a plane, Jones said certain people should take particular caution.
âWho should consider wearing sunscreen on a plane?â she said. âCertainly, someone with a personal or family history of skin cancer may want to get that added protection by using a sunscreen.â
Folks with fair skin who are more sensitive to the sun should consider that added protection, too. The same goes for people with medical conditions that make them susceptible to sun damage, and people who are on medication that increases sun sensitivity, Jones noted.
Holman said that when shopping for sunscreen, you should find one thatâs labeled âbroad-spectrum,â meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. This is always necessary, including on a plane when you arenât protected from that UVA light.
References:Â https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sunscreen-on-airplane-flights_l_649c7d7de4b030e731e4c189
Conclusion: Everyone needs to wear sunscreen/sunblock every day whether you are on the plane or home or driving in your car with the windows closed.
Here are some of mineral/natural sunblocks we recommend.
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