Ultraviolet light is not a single thing, and the difference between UVA and UVB explains why a sunscreen label alone is not enough to judge protection. UVB is the ray that burns the surface of the skin, while UVA penetrates deeper and drives the aging damage, and the two require different kinds of protection that not every product provides equally.UVB is the simpler threat to understand, because its effects are immediate and visible. It damages the top layer of the skin, causes sunburn, and plays a major role in skin cancer, and the SPF number on a label measures protection against exactly this ray. UVB is strongest around midday and in summer, which is why burn risk spikes during those hours.UVA is the silent ager, present all year and able to pass through clouds and window glass. It penetrates deeper into the skin, where it breaks down collagen and elastin and triggers pigmentation, making it the primary driver of photoaging, wrinkles, and dark spots.
Because UVA does not burn the skin, its damage accumulates unnoticed, which is why people who never burn can still
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