Sun protection: everything you need to know
13 June, 2018
When talking about sun protection, it is important to take into account the following effects of the sun on our skin.
Nowadays it is very common to hear that the atmosphere is damaged, that for different pollutant reasons the ozone layer has become thinner and that for this reason we are not so protected.
The sun's rays, the main source of Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR), are filtered by this atmospheric zone, so, when it is damaged, our protection is in danger, and the vulnerable organ against this lack of protection, is our skin.
It is important to take into account: Lamps and tanning beds are also sources of UVR.!!
It is also important for you to keep in mind that the power with which these rays reach the earth's ground varies depending on multiple factors, take note:
Sun Supreme Care SPF 30 and SPF 50
REMEMBER: THE EFFECTS OF THE SUN'S RAYS ARE CUMULATIVE AND IRREVERSIBLE AND CAN PRODUCE ACUTE AND CHRONIC ALTERATIONS IN OUR SKIN.
But we want to be a little optimistic, we know that we all like the sun, because the sun is life, because we like to be outdoors, to go to the beach, to go to the snow.
So, now that we know how this works, let's see what we can do to protect ourselves and benefit from the wonderful properties of the sun.
LET'S PUT IT INTO PRACTICE!!!!
What does this ultraviolet radiation consist of?
There are 3 types of UVR:- UVA raysUVA rays: they age our skin and can damage cellular DNA. They are associated with long-term skin damage that manifests itself in the form of wrinkles, sunspots, and play an important role in some types of skin cancer. This type of radiation reaches us all year round and all day long. Sunbeds and sunlamps emit large amounts of UVA.
- UVB raysrays: they have more energy than UVA rays. This type of radiation causes sunburn, directly damages cellular DNA and is the cause of most skin cancers. UVB rays are more powerful in summer and at midday.
- UVC raysUVC rays: they have more energy than UVA and UVB rays, but fortunately they do not penetrate our atmosphere.
What does the power of the sun's rays depend on?
It is also important for you to keep in mind that the power with which these rays reach the earth's ground varies depending on multiple factors, take note:
- The fall of the sun on the terrestrial ground will depend on the position of the EarthAt midday it is stronger because the UV radiation penetrates perpendicularly into the atmosphere, i.e. it has less filtering layer.
- It will also depend on the height above sea level where we are, the higher we are, the more they arrive. In the mountains we will obtain maximum radiation.
- It will depend on the season of the yearwhen the Earth gets closer or closer to the sun.
- And believe it or not, the incidence of UVR is not the same in the city, where there are generally more pollution than in the countryside.
- It is important that we take into account the type of clothingthickness, thickness, color, which helps us to protect ourselves.
- The refraction of sunlight is also very important, on the beach we also receive the reflection of the sand and water, 20% and the maximum refraction is in the snow where it is 80% higher.
- And finally...., clouds They DO NOT FILTER THE SUN, it is important to make this reflection because many of the great sunburns are on cloudy days where we think it is not necessary to protect ourselves.
Importance of sun protection
Solar radiation penetrates our skin by means of an interesting mechanism. In fact, the least harmful radiation is UVA radiation.This type of radiation enters the deepest layer, the dermis, and here it affects the entire dermal structure: cells, fibers, fibroblasts (cells that generate collagen and elastic fibers) and vascular walls. The UVB radiation are very energetic and affect the most superficial layer of our skin organ, the epidermis, directly impacting the DNA of the basal cells (cells found at the junction of the dermis and epidermis). As the epidermis is so affected, where epidermal inflammation is clearly seen, acute vasodilatation occurs in the dermis, and we see redness, edema and finally epidermal necrosis (blistering and desquamation). Melanocytes, which are the cells responsible for giving pigment to our skin, are also highly damaged. That is why we become red, peel and even blister, because without thinking we are attacking our skin. Sun Supreme Care SPF 30 and SPF 50SPF factor- What is it?
SPF or SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is a standard for measuring the protection that cosmetics offer us and is nothing more than an indicator of how many minutes the cosmetic will protect you from the sun. For example, if you have fair skin and in about 10 minutes you already get sunburnt, with an SPF 30 it will take you 30 minutes more, that is 30x10=300 minutes or what is the same, you will get sunburnt in 5 hours, but this is always approximate and depends on your skin and all the aspects we have explained before, as well as the frequency with which you repeat the application. In the member states of the European Union the Colipa methodwhich classifies sunscreens according to SPF:
- 2 to 6: low
- between 8-and 12: medium
- 15-20-25: high
- 30-40-50: very high
- 50+: ultra
When to apply sunscreen?
Luckily, the increase in the use of sunscreens in these last decades has been skyrocketing, that's good, very good! It is important to take into account that it is a protector with an SPF between 30 and 50, and that it contains filters at least for UVR and UVBR, since, as we have seen, both affect our skin. We recommend repeat the application every two hours in normal conditions (going to work, going out to lunch, running errands around town) and if we are going to be exposed to the outdoors more frequently.How to apply sunscreen with make-up?
Makeup itself already fulfills a great function of protecting the skin and providing us with hydration, but unless they contain specific protection, but we can not count on them to protect us from the sun, so we explain how to use them properly:- Perform the your regular skin hygienea fundamental step in your daily care.
- Apply your day cream or serum and then the sunscreen suitable for your skin type. Wait for 15 minutes (this should be done every morning and throughout the year), then you can apply your makeup, and if you want to fix it to last longer, apply a compact or volatile powder of the same color of your skin with a large brush.
How to get a tan fast, without risk and prolonging your tan
To prolong your tan there are several tricks, for example:- Exfoliate your skin a few days before sun exposure with an exfoliating cream. You can do it once a week.
- Drink plenty of water, diet rich in fruits and all the healthy habits you can think of...