Ultraviolet and Your Health. So are its effects. Even if we should see no long term increase in UVR, most places on earth receive more than enough to cause real problems if you often go outside without protecting yourself. Sunburn Perhaps the best-known consequences of excessive UVR exposure is erythema, or sunburn.
Sunburns can be mild or severe.
If you've had a severe sunburn, you'll not likely forget it. Such cases are marked by bright pink or even scarlet-colored skin, swelling, blistering, and exquisite pain. Because of water lost through the skin, sunburns can also lead to dehydration. Actually, the painful symptoms of sunburn are caused more by the body's response to UVR skin damage than by the damage itself. Although no one really understands the whole process, UVR damage apparently triggers an increase of several chemical substances, including prostaglandins and histamines.