If dark colors absorb sunlight and light colors reflect sunlight, why does the skin get dark when exposed to the sun as a mean of protection. Doesn’t that make the skin absorb even more sunlight since it got darker?

Question

If dark colors absorb sunlight and light colors reflect sunlight, why does the skin get dark when exposed to the sun as a mean of protection. Doesn’t that make the skin absorb even more sunlight since it got darker?

In: Biology

Answer 1

That is the point yes. The surface layer of skin is dead, it doesnt matter what it absorbes, its already dead.

under it is a layer of live skin, if those get hit with high energy UV, there is a chance they become skin cancer.

so you WANT to have more absorbant skin at the surface layer to prevent it getting too deep