Dosimetric investigation of the solar erythemal UV radiation protection provided by beards and moustaches.
Radiat Prot Dosimetry
; 150(3): 278-82, 2012 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22090417
ABSTRACT
A dosimetric technique has been employed to establish the amount of erythemal ultraviolet radiation (UVR) protection provided by facial hair considering the influence of solar zenith angle (SZA) and beard-moustache length. The facial hair reduced the exposure ratios (ERs) to approximately one-third of those to the sites with no hair. The variation in the ERs over the different sites was reduced compared with the cases with no beard. The ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) provided by the facial hair ranged from 2 to 21. The UPF decreases with increasing SZA. The minimum UPF was in the 53-62° range. The longer hair provides a higher UPF at the smaller SZA, but the difference between the protection provided by the longer hair compared with the shorter hair reduces with increasing SZA. Protection from UVR is provided by the facial hair; however, it is not very high, particularly at the higher SZA.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sunburn
/
Sunlight
/
Ultraviolet Rays
/
Erythema
/
Face
/
Hair
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
Limits:
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Radiat Prot Dosimetry
Year:
2012
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Australia