UV radiation
Direct DNA photodamage↓
Also searched as Direct DNA photodamage.
You want it limited rather than eliminated: skin takes sunlight as a dose, and what it costs is counted in DNA damage.
In depth
The ultraviolet band of sunlight — the part of the spectrum that reaches living skin cells and damages their DNA directly. Drawn here as an exposure rather than a capacity: it feeds the radiation and EMF load, and runs straight into DNA damage.
What it drives
It increases Radiation exposure.
Taxonomic edge: ultraviolet is non-ionizing radiation exposure. Gated on ONTRAC. Verbatim: “New nonmelanoma skin cancers were reduced by 23% relative to placebo (P=0.02).”. doi 10.1056/NEJMoa1506197 · PMID 26488693
It increases DNA integrity.
Mechanistic edge. Gated on ONTRAC and the two primaries it cites for its mechanism. Verbatim: “Nicotinamide enhances repair of ultraviolet radiation-induced DNA damage in human keratinocytes and ex vivo skin.” (PMID 26488693; Carcinogenesis 2013 (keratinocytes)). PMID 26488693
It increases Vitamin D status.
UVB photolyses 7-dehydrocholesterol in skin to previtamin D3, the first step of vitamin D synthesis. doi 10.2340/00015555-3050
It increases Melanin production.
UV exposure drives keratinocyte p53 and POMC signaling to melanocyte MC1R, inducing eumelanin synthesis. doi 10.3389/fvets.2026.1826884
It increases Matrix-degrading enzymes.
UV induces AP-1-driven matrix metalloproteinase expression, the collagen-degrading mechanism of photoaging. PMID 11511297
Blends that modulate it
Each blend page names this pathway and carries the study behind its claim.
See it on the map
Open the causal map to follow this pathway upstream and downstream, arrow by arrow, each with its study.