Why You Should Apply Sunscreen Even When Traveling by Plane?

Never underestimate this habit even if you've pulled the airplane window down during long flights.

Why Should You Apply Sunscreen Even When Traveling by Plane?

Frequent air travel can expose passengers to various symptoms such as vein dilation, ringing in the ears, dehydration, loss of taste... Most notably, at altitudes of tens of thousands of meters, you face the risk of skin cancer due to exposure to various harmful rays that can penetrate through the airplane window.

According to scientific research, at an altitude of about 10,000 meters, closer to the sun, passengers are certainly more susceptible to ultraviolet (UV) rays than normal, several times over. If the flight lasts 1 hour, it means you have to endure UV radiation equivalent to lying on a tanning bed for 20 minutes. Of course, pilots are the most affected, passengers can avoid the sun by opening the window.

However, the sun emits two types of harmful rays for the skin: long-wave ultraviolet A (UVA) rays and medium-wave ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. But most airplane windows can only block UVB rays.

UVA can easily penetrate airplane windows, reaching deep into the skin's epidermis, causing various issues such as premature aging, wrinkles... and even the risk of skin cancer if you're exposed too much. Especially, note that UV rays can be intensified when flying through snow or thick clouds.

So, if you enjoy opening or even not opening the window during long flights, you should still apply sunscreen with a higher SPF to protect your skin.

By Vi Yến/Star

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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide