Ukwelashwa kokukhanya okubomvukanye nokushiswa kwe-UV kuyizindlela ezimbili ezahlukene zokwelapha ezinemiphumela ehlukile esikhumbeni.
Ukwelashwa kokukhanya okubomvuisebenzisa ububanzi obuthile bamaza okukhanya okungewona ama-UV, ngokuvamile aphakathi kuka-600 no-900 nm, ukuze ingene esikhumbeni futhi ivuselele izinqubo zemvelo zokuphulukisa zomzimba.Isibani esibomvukusiza ukwandisa ukugeleza kwegazi, ukukhiqizwa kwe-collagen, kanye nokujikeleza kwamaseli, okuholela ekuthuthukisweni kokuthungwa kwesikhumba, ithoni, kanye nempilo iyonke. Ukwelashwa kokukhanya okubomvu kubhekwa njengokwelashwa okuphephile nokungahlaseli okungalimazi isikhumba, futhi kuvame ukusetshenziselwa ukunciphisa ukubonakala kwemigqa emincane, imibimbi, izibazi, kanye nezinduna, kanye nokukhuthaza ukuphulukiswa kwamanxeba nokunciphisa ubuhlungu.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukushiswa kwe-UV kusebenzisa ukukhanya kwe-ultraviolet, okuwuhlobo lwemisebe engaba yingozi esikhumbeni ngobuningi obukhulu. Ukuchayeka emisebeni ye-UV kungalimaza i-DNA yesikhumba, okuholela ekugugeni ngaphambi kwesikhathi, ukuqina kwesikhumba, kanye nengozi eyengeziwe yomdlavuza wesikhumba. Imibhede yokushiswa kwesikhumba iwumthombo ovamile wemisebe ye-UV, futhi ukusetshenziswa kwayo kuhlotshaniswa nengozi eyengeziwe yomdlavuza wesikhumba, ikakhulukazi entsheni.
Ngamafuphi, ngenkathiukwelashwa kokukhanya okubomvukanye nokushiswa kwesikhumba nge-UV kokubili kuhilela ukuchayeka kancane esikhumbeni, kunemiphumela nezingozi ezahlukene. Ukwelashwa ngokukhanya okubomvu kuyindlela yokwelapha ephephile futhi engangenisi umswakama esiza ekuthuthukiseni impilo yesikhumba, kuyilapho ukushiswa kwesikhumba nge-UV kungaba yingozi esikhumbeni futhi kuhlotshaniswa nengozi eyengeziwe yokulimala kwesikhumba kanye nomdlavuza.