I did some digging but I couldn’t find much yet. It seems this research is in its early stages and so far the findings point to the possibility of UV rays having some beneficial effects on blood circulation, but nothing has been proved for certain. Still, I’ll follow any updates as it’s an interesting study. In the meantime, moderation. 🙂

Aw, you make me so happy with your thoughtful replies! I am still going to wear sunscreen daily and apply generously but I won’t stay indoors all summer or avoid the sun with umbrellas and hats (unless I am outdoors for many hours). So yes, moderation is key. I, too, wonder how much UV exposure is healthy.

Janessa, that’s the first time I hear this. It’s weird dermatologists, when stressing the importance of wearing sunscreen daily, don’t mention this. But then science discovers new things all the time. I will definitely look into it and see what I can find out.

I often read that it takes 30 minutes or so of unprotected sun exposure a week to get the dose of Vitamin D your body needs. It’d be interesting to know how much is necessary for blood circulation too. Not wearing sunscreen every now and then may have some beneficial effects on our health, but the UV rays have also been shown to cause cancer, so we should just exercise caution. Even if this new study showed that wearing sunscreen all the time may have side effects, we shouldn’t go back to wearing it at the beach only. Moderation is always the best policy imo. 🙂

I want to mention, it’s not just vitamin D that’s essential. The rays interact with skin.

Trisha, it’s a relief that at least in front of our computers we don’t have to wear it, isn’t it?