Reaping the benefits of hard work, some of you may have enjoyed the reward of driving a beautiful vehicle. You may have even gone “top shelf” and purchased a Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes Benz. Well, congrats! But did you know that media reports out of the UK claim that the glass in the windows of some of these vehicles do not adequately block UV from entering the car and may even lead to development of skin cancer? Huh?
From the online version of the Daily Mail*:
■ BMW and Mercedes drivers could be twice as likely to develop skin cancer and cataracts from harmful UV rays, according to a new study.
■ Researchers found that side windows of some Mercedes and BMW models blocked less than 60% of UVA ultraviolet rays.
■ Decades of research confirm prolonged exposure to UV light – even when it is cloudy – dramatically increases one’s risk of vision damage and cancer.
When it comes to rating the vehicle windows, they offer The Worst: BMW 320i, Mercedes 550, and Porsche Turbo S; and The Best: VW Golf, Mercedes S Class 5550, and Lexus RX350.
Okay, I’m going to go with some common sense here. If a high level of UVA intensity was actually penetrating through the windows in our vehicles and office buildings, wouldn’t it seem that a crazy-high incidence of skin cancers would be reported on both the drivers’ left arms and the passengers’ right arms? Unless of course, you live in the UK or other country where people drive cars with the steering wheel on the right side, then, it would be reversed. That of course, would also kind of foul up the push by anti-indoor tanning zealots claiming that sunbeds are the leading cause of skin cancer.
I took the time to research the subject and found some other interesting reports. From one doctor’s website,** came the following regarding the need for protection from the UV coming through our windows: “I recommend wearing a mineral sunscreen and clothing that blocks UV rays. If their windows claim to block UV rays I point out that a very tiny amount of UV still gets through. As I mentioned above, it’s possible to block 99.9% of UV rays; but even if their windows are that good, the 0.1% can add up at 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Wrinkles, age spots and skin cancer just ain’t worth it! For exposure through windows that don’t claim to block UV rays I definitely tell my patients to reapply mineral sunscreen every 2 hours if they can’t move out of the direct sunlight.”
Okay, so if I understand what you are advising, I need to slather on a sunscreen product (what SPF?) to block the 0.1% of UVA that may pass through my office window? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (no offense, if you are one) to figure out that the sun’s position in the sky changes throughout the day and thus, its intensity. Perhaps I’ve overlooked the fact that some of us work in offices with glass ceilings. More on that subject on a later date … (pun intended)!
To get the real facts on UV light and indoor tanning, take our Sun is Life® Training & Certification today.
*Why driving a BMW or a Mercedes makes you MORE likely to get skin cancer or cataracts.” By Mia de Graaf, DailyMail.com. Sept. 9, 2016.
**“Do UV Sun Rays Go Through Windows?” By Cynthia Bailey, MD, Dr. Cynthia Bailey Skin Care. Aug. 2, 2011.
To get the real facts on UV light and indoor tanning, take our Sun is Life® Training & Certification today.
