Most of us are aware of the dangers surrounding the amount of time we spend in the sun. Although we rely on exposure to sunlight to provide us with vitamin D, a lack of protection from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays can lead to skin cancer. The UVA+B Sunfriend is designed to let users walk that fine line between too little and too much sun without the use of sunscreen.
The Sunfriend is not the first UV-measuring wrist band we've looked at, but devices such as the UVeBand measure the period of effectiveness of sunscreen based on cumulative UV exposure and prompt users to reapply sunscreen when approaching its UV absorption threshold. Because sunscreen blocks UVB rays, which are beneficial in moderation, as well as UVA rays, the team behind the UVA+B Sunfriend aim to let people tread the right side of that exposure line without using sunscreen.
The goal is to counter an increase in vitamin D deficiency, while curbing skin cancer rates by promoting outdoor activity within a recommended range of sun exposure. The company says, "We designed the SunFriend to help people optimize their vitamin D and reduce the incidence of skin cancer simultaneously."
The waterproof wristband contains patented, NASA-inspired UV sensors with LED indicators that light up as UV exposure accumulates, before flashing once the safe limit has been reached. The user sets the device to their skin tone and sensitivity and it then constantly measures both direct and reflected UV exposure.
The concept gained traction after inventors Shahid Aslam and Karin Edgett won best Consumer Product and Most Popular Vote awards at the 2011 Create the Future contest, run by NASA TechBriefs. Aslam and Edgett then put together a team of engineers, scientists and marketers and set about testing prototypes with the aim of developing UVA+B Sunfriend as a commercial product.
The Indiegogo campaign was launched on October 3 and at the time of writing has raised over US$17,000 of its $25,000 goal. A pledge of $45 ($10 of which goes to the Vitamin D Council) will land you a UVA+B Sunfriend of your own. It's worth noting that this is a Flexible Funding campaign, so the company will be collecting all money pledged even if the goal is not reached.
Did you know?
When you use sunscreen, you prevent beneficial ultraviolet B from penetrating the skin, which is what your body needs to make vitamin D! The same goes when you cover up completely! And vitamin D deficiency is at a pandemic level around the world!
In the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 1 in 5 people will get skin cancer – despite the increase use of sunscreens! Skin cancer incidents are even higher in other places like Australia and New Zealand!
The Sunfriend is not the first UV-measuring wrist band we've looked at, but devices such as the UVeBand measure the period of effectiveness of sunscreen based on cumulative UV exposure and prompt users to reapply sunscreen when approaching its UV absorption threshold. Because sunscreen blocks UVB rays, which are beneficial in moderation, as well as UVA rays, the team behind the UVA+B Sunfriend aim to let people tread the right side of that exposure line without using sunscreen.
The goal is to counter an increase in vitamin D deficiency, while curbing skin cancer rates by promoting outdoor activity within a recommended range of sun exposure. The company says, "We designed the SunFriend to help people optimize their vitamin D and reduce the incidence of skin cancer simultaneously."
The waterproof wristband contains patented, NASA-inspired UV sensors with LED indicators that light up as UV exposure accumulates, before flashing once the safe limit has been reached. The user sets the device to their skin tone and sensitivity and it then constantly measures both direct and reflected UV exposure.
The concept gained traction after inventors Shahid Aslam and Karin Edgett won best Consumer Product and Most Popular Vote awards at the 2011 Create the Future contest, run by NASA TechBriefs. Aslam and Edgett then put together a team of engineers, scientists and marketers and set about testing prototypes with the aim of developing UVA+B Sunfriend as a commercial product.
The Indiegogo campaign was launched on October 3 and at the time of writing has raised over US$17,000 of its $25,000 goal. A pledge of $45 ($10 of which goes to the Vitamin D Council) will land you a UVA+B Sunfriend of your own. It's worth noting that this is a Flexible Funding campaign, so the company will be collecting all money pledged even if the goal is not reached.
Did you know?
When you use sunscreen, you prevent beneficial ultraviolet B from penetrating the skin, which is what your body needs to make vitamin D! The same goes when you cover up completely! And vitamin D deficiency is at a pandemic level around the world!
In the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 1 in 5 people will get skin cancer – despite the increase use of sunscreens! Skin cancer incidents are even higher in other places like Australia and New Zealand!
You set your personal skin color and sensitivity
The SunFriend® reads your UV exposure throughout the day – from sun, reflected surfaces, indoors and outside.
When all your LEDs light up, you have had your safer amount of UV/Sun for the day!
SunFriend® is waterproof to 3M, so it is beach friendly!
Compelling reasons to monitor for daily UV over-exposure:
1 in 5 people in the USA will get skin cancer (60 Million People)
About 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the USA
According to the World Health Organization “one in every three cancers diagnosed worldwide is a skin cancer.”
Compelling reasons to monitor for daily UV under-exposure:
Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic. The major cause of vitamin D deficiency is the lack of appreciation that sun exposure in moderation is the major source of vitamin D for most humans.
According to research presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, patients with daytime sleepiness and musculoskeletal pain are likely to have vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency...
An excerpt from the Lancet... Studies show melanoma mortality actually decreases after UV exposure. Additionally, melanoma lesions do not predominate sun-exposed skin, which is why sunscreens have proven ineffective in preventing it. Exposure to sunlight, particularly UVB, is protective against melanoma—or rather, the vitamin D your body produces in response to UVB radiation is protectiveVitamin D is intimately involved not only in immune system function, but also brain function.
It appears that vitamin D has protective effects and immunomodulatory effects in the brain, and is useful in neurodegenerative and neuroimmune diseases, typified by MS
Optimized Vitamin D Levels can reduce breast cancer risk by 77% over a 4 year period according to a study published in 2007 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Empower yourself or a loved one with a commemorative breast cancer awareness UV activity monitor.
Optimized Vitamin D Levels can reduce breast cancer risk by 77% over a 4 year period according to a study published in 2007 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Empower yourself or a loved one with a commemorative breast cancer awareness UV activity monitor.
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