Ultraviolet, or UV for short, is a type of electromagnetic radiation that can be subdivided into a number of subcategories according to the wavelength. Nowadays, UVA, UVB and VUV are the three main types of UV light commonly used for skin conditions. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the key differences between UVA, UVB and VUV to help people make wiser decisions.
Quick Comparison Chart
Here’s a quick comparison of the three main types of UV light.
| UVA | UVB | VUV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy level | Lowest | Medium | Highest |
| Skin cells affected | Inner cells in the top layer of skin, including dermis | Cells in the top layer of skin | Dead skin cell layers |
| Short-term effects | Immediate tanning, sunburn | Delayed tanning, sunburn, blistering | None |
| Short-term effects | Premature aging, wrinkles, some skin cancers | Skin cancer, can contribute to premature aging | None |
| Source | Sunlight, tanning beds | Sunlight, tanning beds | VUV light therapy devices |
| % of the sun’s UV light | 95 | 5 | 0 (filtered out by the atmosphere) |
Is It Easy and Convenient to Use UV Light for Skin Conditions?
By combining with a drug called psoralen, UVA can help with some skin conditions. The psoralen is applied or taken orally to sensitize the skin, so it may make you feel sick for a few hours after you take it and you may have itchy skin for a few days after PUVA (psoralen and ultraviolet A) treatment. In addition, you will experience sunburn more easily than usual and may suffer from permanent eye damage, such as cataracts. There are some UVB light devices on the market to help with skin conditions. The ultraviolet radiation from these devices may damage the skin, cause premature aging and increase the risk of skin cancers. Therefore, UVA and UVB light devices are recommended to be used under the guidance of professional doctors.
Compared with UVA and UVB, VUV is easier and more convenient to use. Simply put on the protection glasses, turn on the device, and flash on your problem spots. There is no necessity to make appointments with dermatologists for UV light treatment. You can add VUV light therapy to your daily treatment schedule and enjoy it at home.
Does UV Light Cause Skin Cancers?
The three types of UV light differ in their biological activity and the extent to which they can penetrate the skin. The shorter the wavelength, the more harmful the UV light. However, shorter wavelength UV light is less able to penetrate the skin.
UVA has the least energy among the three types of UV light. It can cause skin cells to age and may lead to some indirect damage to cells’ DNA. UVA is mainly linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but it is also thought to play a role in some skin cancers.
UVB has slightly more energy than UVA. It can damage the DNA in skin cells directly and is the main UV light that causes sunburns. UVB is also thought to cause most skin cancers.
VUV has more energy than UVA and UVB. Fortunately, the dead skin on most of the human body is sufficient to absorb VUV radiation almost completely. With the protection of dead skin cell layers, VUV will not damage normal skin cells. So far, VUV has not been shown to be a cause of human skin cancer or other types of human cancer.
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