Have fun in the sun but watch your hide!
Grab some rays but don't take more
than your share! Make sure you are protected against sunburn and skin cancer.
Some simple sun care ideas.
Sun Care
Sunshine,
although essential for health and well being, is certainly a hazard for the
skin. For many people it feels good to spend time outdoors and this makes it
difficult to avoid excessive exposure to the
sun. Most of the sun exposure we accumulate throughout our lives, is thought
to be the effect of multiple short periods of time outside. If the ozone
depletion continues this may also increase our lifetime exposure. Exposure to
the
sun also causes moisture depletion and dries out the skin. Therefore, it is
essential to step-up moisturisation, when you have been out of doors for a long
time.
Sun damage of the skin, also known as photo damage can be either acute, as
in a sunburn or more commonly, chronic, seen as gradual changes in the skin
caused by an accumulation of sun exposure throughout one's life. Chronic photo
damage results in either a cosmetic change in the skin's appearance called photo
aging, or changes that are of medical and health concerns such as pre-cancerous
lesions and
skin cancers. The evidence is very strong that ultra-violet light is the
cause of most of the changes that we consider to be associated with aging of the
skin.
The sun continually produces UV radiation: UV-A and UV-B rays reach the earth
and are a major cause of skin damage like skin aging, sun-burn, immune
suppression, and even skin cancer. There are two types of ultraviolet rays, UVA
and UVB. UVA rays penetrate the skin deeply and can cause melanoma in
susceptible people. UVB rays, which don't penetrate as deeply, cause
sunburn and wrinkling. Most UVB rays are absorbed by sunscreens, but only
about half the UVA rays are absorbed. Ultraviolet (UV) rays are the primary
cause of skin cancer.
The skin has a defence mechanism against sun-damage, in the form of melanin. The
production of melanin is accelerated on sun-exposure. However, we have seen that
this defence is not enough. That is why protection of the skin, with ingredients
that block the
sun's radiation damage, is so essential. These sun-block agents are
incorporated into
'sunscreens'.
It is very important to protect your skin during exposure to the sun, because of
the risk of skin cancers. Long-term sun exposure also causes premature ageing,
where the skin becomes less elastic and wrinkles develop. Using the proper skin
protection products can help prevent sun damage. The two main ways of protecting
the skin today are applying a sunscreen lotion to the exposed areas or simply
covering the skin with a garment.
Good
Sun Care includes: trying to stay out of the sun between 11am and 4pm during
summer; wearing a protective hat, sunglasses, clothing and lip screen; using
sunscreen to prevent skin burning; and Use sun care products.
Sun protection factor (SPF)
Sunscreen SPF is the ‘Sun Protection Factor’ and relates to the amount of
absorption of ultraviolet rays type B (UVB). The SPF indicates theoretically how
long you may stay in the sun before burning. If your ‘burn-time’ without sun
protection is 10 minutes, then a Factor 15 product could allow you to stay in
the sun for 150 minutes (15 min x 10) or 2 hours 30 minutes. However, you should
really reapply sunscreen during this time. The burn time differs for different
skin types.
Sunscreen products
Cream-based sunscreens tend to be more
resistant to removal by water than alcohol-based products. ‘Water-resistant’
products retain their sun protection for at least 40 minutes in water. However,
you should be aware that oily products may prevent the evaporation of
perspiration, which can increase the risk of over-heating, especially in humid
conditions. People with acne should also avoid oil-based products as these could
worsen such skin problems.
While overexposure to the sun is harmful, even fatal, no exposure means the body
can't manufacture vitamin D , which is the only vitamin whose biologically
active form is a hormone. Vitamin D is produced in the skin from the energy of
the sun's UV rays. People at risk for vitamin D deficiency include alcoholics,
non-milk drinkers, and those who do not receive much sunlight, especially those
who live in regions that get little natural light.
Despite the obvious dangers of unprotected sun exposure, we do need some contact
with sunlight as it helps with the production of vitamin D. This is an essential
vitamin that plays a number of important roles, including helping regulate the
amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which is needed to help keep our
teeth and bones healthy.
About the author
Sun Care
Nutrovita