How does UVB Narrowband compare to sunlight?

Sunlight? How does UVB Narrowband differ? The first thing to discuss is wavelength. The sun produces virtually all wavelengths of visible, infrared and ultraviolet radiation as well as many other parts of the spectrum including radio waves, gamma rays and a bunch of others. Our atmosphere absorbs much of the radiation from the sun so we are protected from some of the most harmful rays including much of UVC and UVB and shorter wavelengths.

The part of the sun’s spectrum that we concern ourselves with is the Ultraviolet portion which is by definition 200 nM to 400 nM (nM is nano meter or a billionth of a meter). The UV Spectrum is broken up (by definition) into three bands, UVA, UVB and UVC. Science has arbitrarily defined these as

• UVA – Long Wavelength             320 to 400 nm
• UVB – Medium Wavelength       290 to 320 nm
• UVC – Short Wavelength            200 to 290 nm (Sometimes called ‘Germicidal Light’)

UVB Narrow Band is a small slice of the UVB Spectrum at 311 nM and is identified as that part of the UV Spectrum that seems to provide the optimal therapeutic effect with the lowest risks including lower risk of cancer, lower risk of sunburn and very low risk of contributing to premature skin aging.

OK I’m rambling a bit. People ask, how does UVB NB equate to sunlight? This is an impossible question to answer.

This question is impossible to answer as the sun’s measurable output varies depending on:

• Our Latitude.
• The time of day.
• The season.
• The time of year.
• Cloud cover.
• Relative humidity.
• One’s elevation.

Suffice it to say, one of the advantages of UV Phototherapy is the constancy that one can achieve in one’s treatment from day to day.

Sunlight presents a ‘full spectrum’ of UV light whose energy level arriving on the surface of our planet is dependent on all of the above factors and perhaps others.

Hope this helps?

Do you have any suggestions?