Can you catch a tan through a window? Here’s how much vitamin D gets absorbed through glass
IF you fancy getting a tan but you're too busy to sit outside, sitting but the window may just be enough.
Despite laying in the sun being the quickest way to catch a tan, is it possible to catch the sun's rays through a window?
Can you get a suntan through a window?
The short answer is, yes, you can catch a tan through a window.
It's been reported that the majority of glass panes tend to absorb around 97 per cent of the sun's UVB rays, which are the ones which cause sunburn and some skin cancers.
"While the glass will absorb 37 per cent of the less harmful UVA radiation", expert Luis Villazon .
This is said to be the equivalent of wearing an SPF30 sunscreen, which means you can still get a tan, develop freckles and even burn your skin if you sat in a sunny spot for long enough.
Despite this, you would have to be sat by the sunny window for quite a long time before you would get burned.
Car windscreens are a little different - because they have a plastic layer between the two layers of glass which blocks all of the UVB and 80 per cent of the UVA.
This means that it is extremely unlikely that you would catch the sun while driving along.
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How much vitamin D can you absorb through glass?
Due to Vitamin D being produced by the body when it is hit by UVB rays, it is unlikely that you will reap the benefits if you're sat by a window.
UVB rays are nearly all blocked by the window and the wavelength necessary for vitamin D production won't make it through.
Vitamin D has multiple benefits such a helping regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, keeping your bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Some research suggests it eases chronic pain and insomnia and prevents flu, while low vitamin D levels have been linked to obesity, high cholesterol and even heart disease in kids.
It's essential to get enough of the vitamin into your system, and the main source of this is direct sunlight.
Can you get sunburned through a window?
It is possible to get sunburned through a window, but it is highly unlikely.
You would have to be sat there for a long amount of time for this to happen.
However, your skin can still sustain damage over time if you regularly sit by windows.
Should I wear SPF when sitting when working from home?
Yes, you should still wear SPF when working at home to protect your skin.
If you're sitting near windows — or in front of a computer screen — experts advise you still wear SPF as you're exposing yourself to potentially skin-damaging light.
The three main reasons why experts say you should wear SPF indoors are because you are exposed to:
- Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays
- Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays
- Blue light from smart devices, computers and TVs