What are Ultraviolet(UV) Light?

● Ultraviolet(UV) is a type of light or radiation naturally emitted by the Sun. It covers a wavelength range of 100-400 nm. 

● The shorter the wavelength, the more harmful the UV radiation. However, shorter wavelength UV radiation is less able to penetrate the skin.

Types of UV light: There are three types of UV radiation that are classified according to their wavelength:

● UV-A (315-400 nm): It has a long wavelength, which accounts for approximately 95% of the UV radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. It can penetrate the middle layer of your skin or the dermis and can cause aging of skin cells and indirect damage to cells’ DNA.

● UV-B (280-315 nm): It has a medium wavelength. It is biologically active but cannot penetrate beyond the outer skin layers. It can cause sunburn and is also associated with skin cancer.Most solar UVB is filtered by the atmosphere.

● UV-C (100-280 nm): It has a short wavelength and is most harmful. However, it is completely filtered by the ozone layer and does not reach the Earth’s surface. But the UV-C radiation from man-made sources has been known to cause skin burns and eye injuries.