July 27, 2010 – The parasol would not fully block the sun’s rays. More than a third of UV rays would manage to make their way to the skin, reveals a Spanish study1.
According to the results, the umbrellas intercept almost all of the direct sunlight. However, they do not protect people against diffuse radiation, that produced by light reflected in all directions on objects around us, and which penetrates under the parasol from its sides.
The researchers obtained these results by measuring the radiation using a sensor placed at the central base of a parasol with a height of 100 cm and a diameter of 160 cm.
They found that barely 5% of the sun’s rays passed through the sunshade’s canopy to reach the sensor directly. However, the device also captured 34% of rays from horizontal radiation. Although it emits a less intense light, it can also be responsible for sunburn which, repeatedly, can cause premature skin aging and skin cancer.
So although useful, umbrellas should not exempt us from using other means of protection, such as sunscreen, hats and sunglasses.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, skin cancer kills approximately 1,100 Canadians each year.
Louis Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
1. Utrillas MP, Martinez-Lozano JA, Nuñez M, Ultraviolet radiation protection by a beach umbrella, Photochem Photobiol. 2010 Mar-Apr; 86 (2): 449-56.
