The sun produces two types of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that reaches the Earth: UVA and UVB.
- UVA rays: penetrate the deeper layers of the skin and can cause wrinkles, moles, sunspots and skin cancers.
- UVB rays: can cause sunburn, chronic skin damage, precancerous lesions and skin cancers.
The UV index is a parameter used to measure the intensity of UV rays by region, on a scale of 1 to 11, and we can find it available daily on the website of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (“IPMA”).
The UV index is not always related to the temperature, sometimes there are days when the UV index is high and the days are not hot, with a greater risk of sunburn.
We must be particularly attentive on windy and/or foggy days.
On high UV days (index ≥6), we should avoid intentional sun exposure between 11 am and 5 pm, especially babies and children.
