Key TakeawaysExperts say that flying on a plane can expose cabin crew members and travelers to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, which can damage your skin.Planes travel closer to the ozone layer of Earth’s atmosphere, which means they’re closer to the sun. When you’re closer to the sun, the level of UV radiation you’re exposed to increases.Dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen and long-sleeved clothing when you’re flying on a plane. Experts say that it also helps to close the window shade to reduce your exposure to UV rays while in flight.

Key Takeaways

Experts say that flying on a plane can expose cabin crew members and travelers to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, which can damage your skin.Planes travel closer to the ozone layer of Earth’s atmosphere, which means they’re closer to the sun. When you’re closer to the sun, the level of UV radiation you’re exposed to increases.Dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen and long-sleeved clothing when you’re flying on a plane. Experts say that it also helps to close the window shade to reduce your exposure to UV rays while in flight.

While you probably have sunscreen on your packing list for your summer vacation, you may want to slather it on while you’re waiting to board your flight to avoid getting sun-damaged skin before you even arrive at your destination.

Here’s how flying on a plane exposes you to harmful UV rays and what you can do to protect yourself, according to board-certified dermatologists.

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How Does Flying Expose You to UV Rays?

Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic in New York, told Verywell that since airplanes travel at high altitudes and are therefore closer to the sun, the intensity of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that you’re exposed to on a flight is higher, which can increase your risk ofskin damage.

“Any exposure to UV rays can lead to skin damage,” said Engelman. “The higher in altitude, the higher dose of radiation you receive.”

Brendan Camp, MD, board-certified dermatologist of MDCS Dermatology, told Verywell that flying on a plane can expose you to harmful UV light like ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays because the intensity of UV radiation increases at higher altitudes.

Mary Alice Mina, MDIf you can see the sun from your seat then you are getting exposed to UVA radiation.

Mary Alice Mina, MD

If you can see the sun from your seat then you are getting exposed to UVA radiation.

In other words, the thin atmosphere at higher altitudes lets more UV radiation pass through and reach the plane, which can lead to potential skin damage.

How Much UV Radiation Are You Exposed to on a Plane?

While the study mainly focused on cabin crew members, experts say that passengers (especially people who travel often) could also be at risk of UV exposure and skin damage.

Mary Alice Mina, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Baucom & Mina Derm Surgery, told Verywell that since UVA and UVB wavelengths can reach people when they are on the ground and cause skin damage and skin cancers, it makes sense that the closer you are to the sun at higher elevations, the more harmful and intense the UV wavelengths will be.

According to Mina, there are other reasons why you’re exposed to UV rays when you are on a plane, including heavy cloud coverage or flying over snow that “can reflect back harmful wavelengths into the cockpit,” especially if your window is open.

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Do Plane Windows Block UV Rays?

Camp said that plane windows can prevent some UV rays like UVB rays (which have a shorter wavelength) from leaking through. Aircraft windows are made of thick plexiglass, such as polycarbonate or acrylic plastics, that can filter out a decent amount of UVB light.

“People in the aisle and window seats can be exposed to UV radiation,” said Camp. “If you sit next to the window, you can control if the window shade is open or closed.”

Although airplane windows filter some UVB light, Engelman said that they do not block other UV rays. For example, UVA rays are a longer wavelength than UVB rays, so they can penetrate window glass more easily.

“Anyone coming into direct contact with sunlight is at risk of UVA exposure,” said Engelman. “Someone in the window seat will receive more exposure, but there are still risks for those in an aisle seat with the window open.”

According to Engelman, UVB rays cause sunburn while UVA rays are associated withpremature agingas they penetrate deeper into the skin.

“It should come as no surprise that airline pilots are at higher risk of skin cancer than most professions,” she said.

Prolonged exposure to UVA radiation can lead to skin damage, premature aging, and an increased risk of skin cancer.

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How Can You Protect Your Skin When You Fly?

Exposure to UV rays during a typical flight is unlikely to cause a lot of skin damage for travelers, but experts say that prolonged and repeated exposure to UV rays on a plane can cause skin aging and may increase a person’s risk of skin cancer—especially for cabin crew members like flight attendants and pilots.

“If you can see the sun from your seat then you are getting exposed to UVA radiation,” said Mina. “It’s best to make sure you are wearing mineral-based sunscreen, long sleeves, and close the window to help minimize the exposure.”

What This Means For YouYou can be exposed to UV rays from the sun that can damage your skin while you’re flying since planes are closer to the sun. Dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen and protective clothing on a flight and taking other measures like using window shades on the plane to protect your skin from the sun.

What This Means For You

You can be exposed to UV rays from the sun that can damage your skin while you’re flying since planes are closer to the sun. Dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen and protective clothing on a flight and taking other measures like using window shades on the plane to protect your skin from the sun.

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6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NASA.Ozone.Sanlorenzo M, Vujic I, Posch C, Cleaver JE, Quaglino P, Ortiz-Urda S.The risk of melanoma in pilots and cabin crew: UV measurements in flying airplanes.JAMA Dermatol.2015;151(4):450–452. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.4643American Cancer Society.What causes melanoma skin cancer?.National Air and Space Museum.What kind of glass is used on airplane windows?.Skin Cancer Foundation.UV radiation & your skin.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sun safety.

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NASA.Ozone.Sanlorenzo M, Vujic I, Posch C, Cleaver JE, Quaglino P, Ortiz-Urda S.The risk of melanoma in pilots and cabin crew: UV measurements in flying airplanes.JAMA Dermatol.2015;151(4):450–452. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.4643American Cancer Society.What causes melanoma skin cancer?.National Air and Space Museum.What kind of glass is used on airplane windows?.Skin Cancer Foundation.UV radiation & your skin.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sun safety.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

NASA.Ozone.Sanlorenzo M, Vujic I, Posch C, Cleaver JE, Quaglino P, Ortiz-Urda S.The risk of melanoma in pilots and cabin crew: UV measurements in flying airplanes.JAMA Dermatol.2015;151(4):450–452. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.4643American Cancer Society.What causes melanoma skin cancer?.National Air and Space Museum.What kind of glass is used on airplane windows?.Skin Cancer Foundation.UV radiation & your skin.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sun safety.

NASA.Ozone.

Sanlorenzo M, Vujic I, Posch C, Cleaver JE, Quaglino P, Ortiz-Urda S.The risk of melanoma in pilots and cabin crew: UV measurements in flying airplanes.JAMA Dermatol.2015;151(4):450–452. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.4643

American Cancer Society.What causes melanoma skin cancer?.

National Air and Space Museum.What kind of glass is used on airplane windows?.

Skin Cancer Foundation.UV radiation & your skin.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sun safety.

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