The Conversation (0)
Harry Fletcher
Jun 27, 2023
iStock
Plenty of people like to pick out the window seat when travelling on planes – but an expert has warned that the impact of doing so could potentially be very dangerous.
Dr. Joyce Park is a dermatologist who posted a TikTok video warning about the impact that exposure to the sun on flights can have.
As Dr. Park explains, people should always apply sunscreen on flights or shut the windows when travelling.
Speaking in a recent video, she said: "Dermatology lesson #21: When you learn that pilots have 2x incidence of melanoma [the third most common type of skin cancer] and you should ABSOLUTELY wear sunscreen on airplanes or keep the windows shut."
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Dr Park then went on to cite a 2015 study which found that pilots and flight attendants have around "twice the incidence of melanoma compared with the general population".
@teawithmd Let’s talk about airplane ✈️ skin care! Today I am just covering INCREASED exposure to UV radiation in the plane. A research study in JAMA DERM from 2015 measured amount of UV radiation in airplane cockpits during flight and compared them to UVA carcinogenic affective doses in tanning beds. Turns out you get a heck of a lot of UV exposure as a pilot. When we’re sitting in the back, make sure to wear sunscreen or keep your window shut to reduce exposure to UVA during your flight. After all, you don’t want 1/2 of your face getting more sun ☀️ damage than the other! The more you know! Sources in comments #dermatologylesson #dermbypark #airplaneskincare #sunscreen #melanoma #inflightskincare
She added: "Flying in the cockpit for 56 minutes at 30K feet received the same amount of UV radiation as that from a 20-minute tanning sesh."
"Even MORE UVA is reflected when flying over thick clouds and snow. Windows block UVB, not UVA."
Dr Park finished the clip by saying: "Make sure to wear sunscreen or keep your window shut to reduce exposure to UVA during your flight.
"After all, you don’t want 1/2 of your face getting more sun damage than the other."
It’s not the first time that the topic of plane windows has gone viral on TikTok this year. One user previously shared their experiences after having his window tampered with on a flight.
TikToker Eric Goldie regularly posts about air travel on his channel, and he responded in a recent clip to a comment from a woman who had her sunshade messed with by a fellow passenger.
The comment read: “I put my shade down on a 6am flight this year and the women behind me kept reaching through the seat to pull it up. I almost got arrested.”
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