As pleasant as it is to watch the clouds, the place near the porthole should however be avoided because of an increased risk of premature aging and skin cancer, warns a dermatologist.
Flying could have adverse effects on your skin. Especially if you are traveling close to the porthole. “You may be exposed to higher levels of UV radiation in flight than on the ground” despite the glass of the portholes, explains Dr. Magnus Lynch, dermatologist, to the magazine The Sun. It exists two types of UV rays : UV-B and UV-A. If the UV-B cause sunburn, UV-A, on the other hand, penetrates deeper skin And this even on cloudy days. Both types of UV can cause skin cancer. The glass of the portholes “blocks most UV-B rays but does not does not completely filter UV-A (…) because these have longer wavelengths that can pass through the glass and reach the deep layers of the skin“. For Dr Magnus Lynch, sitting on the window side could thus increase the risk of premature aging and of skin cancer.
Even worse if you pass near the equator
In 2015, a study on the risk of melanoma – skin cancer – in airline pilots and cabin crew just revealed that members of this profession are twice as likely to develop melanoma than the general population. Melanoma is a aggressive skin cancer. It represents 10% of this type of cancer. “Prolonged exposure to UV-A rays can lead to skin damage, premature aging and an increased risk of skin cancer.”
According to Dr. Firas Al-Niaimi, this would be particularly the case if the plane is heading towards the equator. “If you fly over Spain in the middle of the afternoon, there is a good chance that you will be exposed to more UV than if you were flying over a Nordic country later in the day because the closer we are to the equator, the stronger the UV intensity“, he told The Sun. To protect yourself from the harmful effects of UV rays on the skin, it is better to close the porthole blind or apply sunscreen, wear protective clothing or sunglasses. Even more if you have clear skin.