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Opinion|Videos|March 12, 2025

The Solar Spectrum and Impact on Skin Health

An expert discusses how UV radiation makes up about 7% of the sun’s energy and penetrates the skin, causing aging, hyperpigmentation, and inflammation. Visible light and infrared radiation contribute to skin damage, with blue light being more harmful than red light due to its deeper penetration.

Episodes in this series

Video content above is prompted by the following:

  • How do visible light, infrared radiation, and UV radiation differ in terms of wavelength and skin penetration? (NOAA ClimateBits)
    • UV radiation—100-400nm; about 7% of sun’s energy
    • Visible light—400-700nm; about 43% of sun’s energy
    • Infrared radiation—700nm-1mm; about 49% of sun’s energy
  • How do visible light and infrared radiation contribute to skin aging, hyperpigmentation, and inflammation?
  • Within the visible light spectrum, what types of light are the most detrimental to skin health (ie, blue light vs red light)?

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