a. how does the skin tan when exposed to ultraviolet light? course hero

by Mrs. Samara Durgan MD 7 min read

UV rays cause tanning by the way they affect the melanin in our skin. Melanin is a pigment in our skin produced by cells called melanocytes and is what gives our skin its color. UVA causes a tan by oxidating the melanin. Essentially, the melanin undergoes a chemical reaction after being exposed to UVA, causing it to become darker.

Full Answer

How do UV rays cause a tan?

What determines the color of skin, and what is the process that darkens skin when it is exposed to UV light? The amount of melanin which is produced by melanocytes, determines the color of their skin. When someone lays under the sun to get a darker skin tone it's called tanning.

What are the facts about how skin tan?

Oct 22, 2020 · No, because living in the equator will give you the needed amount of Vitamin D, but the amount of UV light is still too strong, enough to give someone with light skin skin cancer. 26. Using principles of natural selection, predict the skin tone expected at different latitudes, taking ultraviolet exposure, vitamin D, and folate needs into ...

What happens when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light?

A) The medulla is the soft core of the hair. B) The cortex of the hair is composed of hard keratin. C) Terminal hairs are heavy and more darkly pigmented than other types of hair. D) Club hair is hair that has ceased growing. E) Scalp hairs grow constantly throughout life.

What happens to melanin when exposed to UVA?

Ultraviolet wavelengths can damage or destroy the DNA in cells, causing mutations that can turn into cancers. Once the skin is exposed to sunlight, the melanocytes try to cover all the cells with melanin, like sun hats that block UV rays. Ironically, though most of us feel that a suntan is a beautiful sign of health, it's actually a visible response to skin trauma, since the pigment has …

How does your skin turn tan when exposed to UV light?

UVA radiation is what makes people tan. UVA rays penetrate to the lower layers of the epidermis, where they trigger cells called melanocytes (pronounced: mel-an-oh-sites) to produce melanin. Melanin is the brown pigment that causes tanning. Melanin is the body's way of protecting skin from burning.

Does UV tan your skin?

UV rays cause tanning by the way they affect the melanin in our skin. Melanin is a pigment in our skin produced by cells called melanocytes and is what gives our skin its color. UVA causes a tan by oxidating the melanin.Sep 24, 2020

How does melanin protect the skin from the effects of ultraviolet light quizlet?

Melanin, in turn, helps prevent excessive skin damage by absorbing UV radiation before it reaches the deep layers of the epi- dermis and dermis. Within the epidermal cells, melanin concentrates around the nucleus, so it absorbs the UV light before it can damage nuclear DNA.

What does melanin have to do with the absorption of ultraviolet waves?

The large system of freely-moving (delocalized) electrons that gives melanin its color is also what allows it to absorb UV light. ... This allows melanin to protect more sensitive molecules, like DNA, from UV exposure.Feb 14, 2015

What happens to your skin when you tan?

Why it happens: Once skin is exposed to UV radiation, it increases the production of melanin in an attempt to protect the skin from further damage. Melanin is the same pigment that colors your hair, eyes, and skin. The increase in melanin may cause your skin tone to darken over the next 48 hours.Apr 26, 2019

Why does my skin get tanned so easily?

Why do I tan so easily? If you have a darker skin tone (more melanin), you tend to tan easily. The melanin (brown pigment) containing melanocytes spread out across the sun-exposed skin to cover and protect the skin from more damage.Jan 20, 2022

How does melanin protect the skin?

Melanin helps protect the cells of the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin, from UV light. This protection extends to all forms of UV light (UVC, UVB, and UVA) as well as blue light. It does this by absorbing the UV light before it's able to damage the sensitive DNA of the skin cells.Feb 11, 2021

How does melanin protect the skin quizlet?

Melanin protects the dermis and epidermis from UV radiation.

Which of the following is formed in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight quizlet?

The skin is protected by the synthesis of three pigments that contribute to the skin's color. Carotene, which accumulates in the stratum corneum and hypodermal adipose tissue, is synthesized in large amounts in the presence of sunlight.

How does melanin protect the skin from the effects of ultraviolet light?

UVA radiation causes lesions or DNA damage to melanocytes, which are the skin cells that produce the skin pigment known as melanin. Melanin is a protective pigment in skin, blocking UV radiation from damaging DNA and potentially causing skin cancer.Dec 15, 2017

How does melanin protect the skin from UV damage?

Melanin protects the skin by shielding it from the sun. When the skin is exposed to the sun, melanin production increases, which is what produces a tan. It's the body's natural defense mechanism against sunburn.Oct 29, 2021

How is melanin produced in the skin?

Melanin is a pigment produced by the melanocytes, within the melanosomes, in a reaction catalyzed by tyrosinase during the conversion of tyrosine into dopa.

What happens when you get exposed to UV light?

On the positive side, skin exposed to UV light makes vitamin D, an important nutrient. However, UV light also can cause an inflammatory reaction —a sunburn. In addition, UV light stimulates melanin cells in skin, causing them to darken;

What is the role of melanocytes in skin?

Dermatologist (Skin Specialist) Melanocytes have the crucial job of producing melanin, the pigment that absorbs ultraviolet light from the sun. Ultraviolet wavelengths can damage or destroy the DNA in cells, causing mutations that can turn into cancers. Once the skin is exposed to sunlight, the melanocytes try to cover all the cells with melanin, ...

Why is UVA important?

UVA speeds skin aging and boosts skin cancer risk; UVB causes sunburn. It is important to protect your skin from overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light to prevent the development of skin cancer, a known result of repeated sunburns over time.

How often should I use sunscreen?

Every day you should wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which blocks UVB and UVA rays, with an SPF of 15 or higher. Reapply at least every two hours while outdoors. For a dewy glow, use skin-care products with 10 ingredients or less to reduce irritation, use moisturizer and feed your skin from within.

Does UV light cause tan?

In addition, UV light stimulates melanin cells in skin, causing them to darken; when this happens, you have a tan. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a safe tan. The UV light that burns or tans you damages skin cells in ways that can accelerate skin aging, and even increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Why does my skin look dark?

Essentially, the melanin undergoes a chemical reaction after being exposed to UVA, causing it to become darker. When the melanin looks darker, the skin itself looks tanned and dark. UVB causes a tan by a different method.

How does the body get vitamin D?

One of the primary ways our bodies obtain vitamin D is through absorption from sun exposure. 4  You may think of dietary sources, but this is hard with the average diet. The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin D is 600 IU. 5  A glass of milk contains around 120 IUs. Supplements are available as well.

Does the sun cause skin cancer?

As with so many things in medicine, we're learning that while the sun can cause skin damage leading to premature wrinkling and skin cancer, there are also some benefits of time in the sun.

Does sunscreen help with cancer?

Wearing sunscreen may help to prevent skin cancer, but on the downside, may result in vitamin D deficiency. 4  Vitamin D deficiency, in turn, is linked with many diseases ranging from several cancers to multiple sclerosis to depression .

Is tanning bad for teens?

There are risks to tanning, and it is important to discuss your concerns with your teen. In fact, discussing the risks and benefits of sun exposure are a good way to discuss the importance of moderation in many activities in their lives.

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Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources , including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Consumer updates.

Can UV rays cause skin damage?

Damaging Effects of UV Rays. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause skin damage, but just like how they differ in how they cause the appearance of a tan, they differ in their ability to damage the skin.

What are the layers of the skin?

Believe it or not, skin is actually your body’s largest organ! All skin is made up of three primary layers: 1 Epidermis (top layer) 2 Dermis (middle layer) 3 Subcutaneous layer or hypodermis (lower layer)

What is the role of the dermis?

Dermis (middle layer) Subcutaneous layer or hypodermis (lower layer) Skin has several very important tasks, including: Protecting the muscles, bones, and organs of your body. Regulating body temperature. Encasing the nerves that enable your sense of touch and relay messages—like the tactile sensations of soft, hard, hot, cold, comfort, ...

Is it bad to have a dark skin?

In general, people with medium to dark complexions are less sensitive to UV exposure. Although people with darker complexions are less likely to get skin cancer than people with lighter complexions, they can still develop malignancies and suffer all forms of UV damage. Dermatologists divide human skin into six types.

What are the risks of tanning?

Cataracts and other eye damage. Immune system suppression. Sunburn. Understanding these risks and following state and federal tanning guidelines as well as manufacturer instructions will help individuals to enjoy UV light while lowering their chances of UV-related health issues later in life.

What are the diseases caused by UV light?

Other UV-related skin disorders include Actinic Keratoses and premature aging of the skin. Actinic keratoses are skin growths that occur on body areas exposed to the sun. The face, hands, forearms, and the "V" of the neck are especially susceptible to this type of lesion.

What are the health risks of ozone?

Since the appearance of an ozone hole over the Antarctic in the early 1980s, Americans have become aware of the health threats posed by ozone depletion, which decreases our atmosphere's natural protection from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Relative to misuse of tanning devices, the information in this chapter provides an overview of the major health issues linked to overexposure to UV Light: 1 Skin Cancer (melanoma and nonmelanoma) 2 Premature aging of the skin and other skin problems 3 Cataracts and other eye damage 4 Immune system suppression 5 Sunburn

What is the severity of a sunburn?

Sunburn results when the amount of exposure to the sun or other ultraviolet light source exceeds the ability of the body's protective pigment, melanin, to protect the skin.

Why do people get sunburns?

Sunburn. Sunburns occur when the skin is exposed to excessive amounts of UV light.

How many people die from skin cancer every hour?

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and one American dies every hour from this devastating disease. Medical research is helping us understand the causes and effects of skin cancer.

What is the cure rate for nonmelanoma?

There are two primary types of nonmelanoma skin cancers. These two cancers have a cure rate as high as 95 percent if detected and treated early. The key is to watch for signs and seek medical treatment. Basal Cell Carcinomas are the most common type of skin cancer tumors.