Ageing behind Glass!
Did you always love that feeling of the sun’s rays on your face through the window, then I’m going to throw a spanner in the works again ! Ageing behind glass is a very real prospect! If your work desk, for instance, is facing the sun, then the chances are that you may look like this lady after a few years. This Italian secretary worked for fifteen years with one side of her face exposed to the sun. And look at the result; the left side is 20 years older than the right side!!! Although UVB is blocked by glass, UVA passes straight through it. You should think about this if you do a lot of driving for your work….
UVA rays
In the blog ‘Self Confidence from the Sun (and Skin Cancer)‘ I explain more about the difference between UVA and UVB rays. Briefly; UVA causes ageing and UVB causes burning. UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and causes premature ageing. UVA doesn’t only penetrate through glass but also through clouds. An important reason why you should protect yourself all year round with a sun protection factor. Fortunately most sun creams nowadays also contain filters which protect your skin against UVA rays. But this is not always the case. The SPF on the bottle states the UVB protection only and not the protection against UVA. 
If you want to be sure then choose a product which displays a UVA logo (see the example here). And for security, moving your desk every now and then to prevent ageing behind glass is not such a bad idea!
Regards Jetske.
(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)
You can also read:
You Are So Red! (what to do when you are sunburnt),
A Self Tanner or the Sun’s Rays?,
The Effects of the Sun; Twins (this photo isn’t lying!),
Sun Cream; Too Thin a Layer, a False Sense of Security!,
Help with Choosing your Sun Cream (product advice),
The Sun and Cosmetic Products. Not Always a Good Combination and
A Good Sun Cream? (about sun filters in products).
Image: 2003, Elsevier – Bolognia, Jorizzo and Rapini: Dermatology – www.dermtext.com