Research and Reflection
The Effects the Sun has on
Your Skin
Questions I Asked
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How does sunscreen work ?
Why do people with fair skin
burn more easily than people
with darker skin?
How do we get Vitamin D from
the Sun, and how much should
we get?
How did I find the answers to my
questions?
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I searched keywords on Google.com, such
as “sunscreen”, “melanin” and “vitamin D”
I chose to read reliable sources (not .com,
only .edu, .org, or .gov)
I took notes and found answers
Question #1: How does Sunscreen
work?
“Chemically-based” sunscreen absorbs UV
light, scatters rays to reduce harmful
effects.
“Physically-based” sunscreen reflects UV
rays.
The best sunscreen shields against UV-B
radiation (causes sunburn) and UV-A
radiation (causes long-term damage).
Use a sunscreen with a high
SPF (skin protection factors)
frequently (reapply every two
hours outside)
and thoroughly (teaspoon for
face, tablespoon for each limb)
Question #2: Why do people with
fair skin burn more easily than
people with darker skin?

Fair skin has less melanin in it.
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What is melanin?
 The pigment in your skin, the darker
you are, the more you have.
 It provides some protection from
damaging UV rays.
Therefore, with little melanin, you are less
protected from the Sun.
This does not mean that
people with darker skin
should not protect their skin!
Too much sun exposure can
damage anyone’s skin.
Question #3: How do we get
Vitamin D from the Sun, and how
much do we need?
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When we are exposed to UV rays, your body
produces Vitamin D.
10-15 minutes of sunlight exposure a day will
provide you with the daily recommendation of
Vitamin D.
You can also get Vitamin D by eating/drinking
milk, fatty fish, fish oil, or Vitamin D
supplements.
In conclusion, a small amount of
direct sunlight is beneficial to
your skin and your health, but a
large amount of it can be
harmful.
My Resources
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About, Inc. 2006 “Vitamin D: What is it, and what are some
sources?”
http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/relatedconditions/a/fdavit
d.htm
CI&A Publications. 5/2/06 “Intermediate Level Science”.
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub/pubsci.html
MayoClinic. 07/06 “SkinCancer”
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skincancer/DS00190/DSECTION=4
National Cancer Institute. 4/21/05 “Skin Cancer Treatment”
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/skin/
patient
More Resources I Used
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National Institute of Health. 8/5/05 “Dietary Supplement Fact
Sheet: Vitamin D”. http://dietarysupplements.info.nih.gov/fa ctsheets/vitamind.asp
“Sunscreen”. September 2006
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscreen
The University of the State of New York. “Learning Standards
for Mathematics, Science, and Technology” March 1996.