Long-term effects

UV radiation can cause long-term damage to the eyes and skin, i.e. damage that occurs later in life.

Long-term damage to the eyes

The lens of the eye is primarily affected, as it absorbs a large proportion of the UV radiation entering the eye. Excessive UV radiation is one of the triggering factors for cataracts.

One to two percent of UV-A radiation can reach the retina. Studies indicate that at a young age (from birth to around the age of 30) up to 10 percent of UV-A radiation can reach the retina. Scientists have not yet been able to completely rule out the possibility that the small proportion of UV radiation that reaches the retina contributes to degenerative retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (macula = yellow spot = site of sharpest vision)

Long-term damage to the skin

Excessive UV radiation can cause premature ageing of the skin and, in the worst case, skin cancer. Excessive UV exposure should be avoided as a preventative measure. In addition, regular skin cancer screening by a dermatologist helps to detect existing diseases at an early stage, when the chances of recovery are even better.

Premature skin ageing

UV-A radiation penetrates deep into the skin and causes, among other things, the formation of so-called "free radicals", which in turn can damage the collagen in the connective tissue. At the same time, the formation of new collagen is hindered. As a result, the firmness of the skin decreases and elastic fibers swell, which leads to a loss of elasticity of the skin. Permanent damage to the connective tissue and the formation of wrinkles occur. One risk factor for premature skin ageing is prolonged exposure to the sun and the use of sunbeds.

Skin cancer

UV radiation is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in the highest risk group 1 "carcinogenic to humans". UV radiation is the main cause of skin cancer. The incidence of skin cancer in the fair-skinned population is growing faster worldwide than any other cancer. In Germany, one in seven men and one in nine women up to the age of 75 develop skin cancer - and the trend is rising: in Germany alone, the incidence rate doubles every 10 to 15 years. In Germany, over 4,000 people die every year from skin cancer caused by UV radiation.

Risk factors for skin cancer include skin type, large congenital or clinically atypical moles, the number of moles, a family history of skin cancer, individual lifetime UV exposure (lifetime dose) and sunburns.

A distinction is made between non-melanoma skin cancer and melanoma.

Non-melanoma skin cancer

Non-melanoma skin cancers include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and its precursors, actinic keratoses. It mainly affects older people.

Basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing tumor that only very rarely forms metastases (secondary tumors). It mainly occurs on areas of skin such as the face, ears and scalp that are exposed to direct UV radiation. The mortality rate is very low. However, as the tumor destroys tissue locally, treatment is often a major cosmetic problem.

Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma is a locally destructive tumor that grows into the surrounding tissue ("invasive"), which can also form metastases from a certain size and lead to death. It also occurs on areas of skin such as the face, back of the hands and forearms that are exposed to UV radiation.

Malignant melanoma

Malignant melanoma affects all age groups and is responsible for the most deaths of all skin cancers. Melanoma is a tumor that varies in growth, is usually brown in color, often forms metastases at a fairly early stage and can occur on any part of the skin. If detected early, the tumor is usually curable; if treatment is delayed, it is often fatal.

The incidence of "black skin cancer" (malignant melanoma) is increasing faster than for all other types of cancer - and more and more younger people, especially women, are developing it.