Because the outer layer of the lip is so thin, the lips in their natural
state are not adequately shielded from the sun. In fact,
lips have almost no melanin, the natural pigment in skin that
helps screen out the sun's harmful rays. As a result,
lips rarely tan, but they can easily burn.
Even licking lips can be more detrimental than helpful, since saliva
acts like a lens to intensify sun exposure. And because
lips are located on the face, they are rarely covered, and
thus constantly exposed to sun damage.
When the sun causes lips to burn, long lasting damage can occur.
The collagen, for example, can be altered. Collagen
is the protein that gives lips body and resilience - and helps
keep wrinkles from forming.
When unprotected lips are exposed to too much sun, the collagen
changes, causing lips to wrinkle and fine lines to form around
the mouth. Even when lips show no physical signs of
the sun's effect, damage can occur. Just because you
don't see a surface burn doesn't mean that the underlying
layers haven't been harmed.
Wrinkling and premature aging are not the only damage the sun can cause.
There are 600,000 new cases of skin cancer reported each year
- a figure that's rising steadily. Of these new cases,
90 percent are caused by exposure to the sun's harmful rays.
Young lips (children's and teens') are especially vulnerable. Studies have shown that UV over-exposure during the first
18 years of life can cause the damage that later results in
adult skin cancer.
Sun exposure is also one of the most frequent triggers of
cold sore lesions. So for people who suffer from
these sores, lip protection can reduce their likelihood of
appearing.
Lips need to be protected from the sun all year 'round. Ultraviolet
(UV) rays are always present, whether it's January or July.
Although the level of burning UVB rays declines substantially
in cooler months, harmful UVA rays remain at relatively constant
levels throughout the year. Lips can suffer even on
cloudy days, since clouds don't filter UVB rays.
Most of us know that the sun is reflected off sand and water, intensifying
its burning effects, but the same is true for snow.
In fact, snow reflects nearly 80 percent of the sun's rays
(whereas sand reflects less than 20 percent). Exposure
at higher altitudes (such as when skiing) also creates an
increased hazard, since the air is thinner and thus screens
less of the sun's rays.
