Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [sun-exposure]

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Can drinking "harmonized" water prevent sunburn

Osmosis Skin Care offers what they call "Harmonized H2O" This product is a UV Neutralizer-Tan Enhancing[sic]: Boost your body’s defenses with this innovative new technology utilizing frequencies that work against the damaging effects of the…
Adam
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Does staring at the sun cause significant, permanent harm?

Of course, I think I can safely assume if an eye is left pointing directly towards sun for a long period of time it does get major damage. However, staring at the sun also hurts very quickly. That pain seems like a very natural* defense mechanism…
Ilari Kajaste
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Are sunscreens necessary?

There are many warnings of skin cancer due to exposure to sun, which have turned sunscreen lotions/creams/sprays into a big industry. Apart from the problem in the product, my question is, are sunscreens needed? Today's average Joe is less exposed…
CMR
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Does Vitamin D created by sun exposure get washed off in the shower?

A recent article by Dr Mercola on a health advocacy web site makes a number of claims about Vitamin D production in your skin. The most surprising to me is the claim that you can wash off a meaningful fraction of the Vitamin D created due to sun…
Rex Kerr
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Is sun protection clothing a real alternative to sunscreen?

I was reluctantly dragged along to do clothes shopping in Singapore today and all over the place they advertised clothing that has supposedly been coated with some form of UV protection. As far as I'm aware Singapore doesn't have the European-style…
Kit Sunde
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Is it possible to get a sunburn if you're behind a (glass) window?

Someone recently told me that windows act as a kind of "magnifying glass". That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Here's an example of someone with that belief (in the comments): Can a baby get sunburned while laying in the sun through a window…
Olivier Bruchez
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Are US sunscreens less effective due to FDA regulations?

A recent answer to the question Best sun protection for swimming on a sister site makes the claim "The US market version is hamstrung in order to pass FDA regulations" and expands with the following: US market sunscreens lack options for…
James Jenkins
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Are cheap sunglasses bad for your eyes?

Conventional wisdom and tips in magazines often state that you shouldn't buy cheap sunglasses because they don't protect well against UV rays. There are two claims in one here, I am skeptical about: Do cheap sunglasses (with UV protection notice on…
Boris
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Is vinegar a sunburn remedy?

While searching for a remedy for sunburn pain last year, I ran across multiple references to vinegar as an effective method in treating sunburn pain. Is there any research that validates or invalidates this claim? If founded, how might vinegar act…
marfarma
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Does "eye black" improve vision under glare conditions?

Some sports people wear "eye black" (black strips on the upper cheek) under glare conditions (sun or stadium lights) to reduce glare. For example, one brand claims it is: used on the field to help reduce the glare of the sun. The material is safe…
Oddthinking
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Is there a health risk from nanoparticles in sunscreens?

There have been various stories in the news in the past couple of weeks in Australia about peoples perception of nanoparticles in sunscreen. To quote from the linked story above: This week, the Federal Department of Innovation released the results …
going
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Does sunlight cause most of the wrinkles on our faces?

WebMd claimed in a post that: Exposure to sun causes most of the wrinkles and age spots on our faces. Consider this: One woman at age 40 who has protected her skin from the sun actually has the skin of a 30-year-old! Does spending time in the sun…
Christian
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Is it healthy to sunbathe without sunscreen?

An article in The Telegraph starts with: Researchers followed 30,000 women for 20 years and found that those who avoided the sunshine were twice as likely to die Women who never sunbathe during the summer are twice as likely to die than those who…
Christian
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Is looking into a solar eclipse especially dangerous?

I mean looking at a partial or annular eclipse, or before or after totality, and specifically the claim that it is more dangerous than looking into the sun. I've heard two versions of this: It is more dangerous because you'll be tempted to not look…
Random832
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Does hair grow faster in the sun?

I've been told that hair grows faster when you are in the sun, is there any truth to that or is it a myth among people in a sun starved country? :) Related: Does plucking/epilation impact hair growth? If you shave or wax, will the hair grow back…
Kit Sunde
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