I think most flyers have a preference for a particular seat.
Lots of people like the aisle seat best. They like the opportunity to grab some extra legroom (into the aisle), quick access to stand up, etc.
You wouldn’t think there are people who actually prefer the middle seat, but apparently there are.
And then you have the folks who like having a window seat. They have something to lean against, and the view out the window can be interesting.
However if you’re a “window person” and a frequent flyer, there’s something you probably should pack in your 3-1-1 liquids bag.
Sunscreen.
You probably know that the sun puts out what’s called ultraviolet (UV) rays; they’re invisible rays that are responsible for suntans and sunburns, but also premature aging, wrinkles, and different types of skin cancers. You may also know there are 2 different kinds of UV rays from the sun: UVA and UVB.
WebMD explains the difference between the two:
UVA and UVB Rays are different types of a form of energy called ultraviolet (UV) radiation commonly seen as sunlight.
UVA and UVB rays differ from each other by how strong their energy is. They also differ from each other by how deeply they enter the different layers of your skin.
UVA rays have a lower amount of energy and a longer wavelength than UVB rays. They can enter the middle layer of your skin called the dermis. UVA rays form 95% of the UV radiation which reaches the earth. They have a role to play in the formation of some types of skin cancers.
UVB rays have slightly more energy than UVA rays. They have a short wavelength that can only reach the outer layer of your skin called the epidermis. UVB rays have been linked to skin burning. They also have an important role in the formation of skin cancers, especially a dangerous form of skin cancer called malignant melanoma.
UVA and UVB rays can affect your skin differently, but both can cause serious harm.
When it comes to blocking UV rays from the sun, the windows on planes are similar to windows in a car – they block UVB rays pretty well, but do a crappy job of blocking UVA rays.
Of course, if you just fly every once in a while, you don’t have to worry as much about damage to your skin from the UVA rays from your window seat. But if you fly a lot, it’s definitely something you should keep in mind, and wearing sunscreen with a high SPF would be probably a very smart idea (as is wearing sunscreen any time you’re outside; the damage to your skin is cumulative and increases your skin cancer risk over time).
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2 comments
The polycarbonate material that most windows are made of filter out almost 100% of the UV light.
Let’s not make some people even more uptight about life. Some of these pale people could use some color.