Spring is here and summer will come automatically, which means that the sun is already taking a permanent place in the sky and we must prepare accordingly to protect our skin from its harmful rays. But do we really know how to do this?
In honor of the official opening of the bathing season (which is right today), some important facts you should know before exposure to the sun.
Which protection should we choose?
You can use a low protection, about 15 SPF, if you don’t have particularly fair skin and/or you don’t suffer from moles, and combine it with a cream containing antioxidants. In the summer you should use a higher protection, about 30 SPF, and repeat the application more often. FYI, if you have a good sunscreen and apply it correctly, you will get 97% protection from the sun. There is no 100% protection!
Is sun protection really necessary?
yes. The sun’s rays are harmful to the skin, period. In fact, skin cancer morbidity rates among the population in Israel are among the highest in the Western world. Although the awareness of the danger of exposure to the sun has increased in recent years and it can be said that we take care (relatively) responsibly in the sea and pool environment, but unfortunately this is not the case in our daily routine. It is important to note that the sun’s rays are almost exclusively responsible for premature aging of the skin (the appearance of wrinkles, pigmentation marks, etc.) – a factor that for some reason worries us more. Many do not know that UVA radiation, the most harmful radiation (and can be harmful even in winter), manages to penetrate Glass. Exposure to the sun is actually a cumulative risk, just like alcohol or smoking, and it usually has no direct effect. Regular use of sunscreen during the first 18 years of our lives can greatly reduce the chance of being damaged.
More important than the height of the filter is the way it is used. You will probably be surprised to learn that according to studies done, it appears that people who used higher filters had a slightly higher risk of getting skin cancer than those who used lower filters. The reason for this is the lower frequency of applying the sunscreen and the way it is used. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a high SPF sunscreen will protect you all day long. For it to be really effective, you have to repeat the operation approximately every two to three hours, since its effectiveness decreases from the moment of application. Apply 2 mg of sunscreen on every 2 cm of skin, which is about half a teaspoon of sunscreen for the surface area, to get effective protection.
How much to apply?
For the hands and feet you will need an amount of about 4 teaspoons, and for the upper body (front and back) another 2 teaspoons. Applying a reduced amount than the recommended one will damage the level of protection, even if you use 50 SPF.
Makeup with protection? Moisturizer with protection? Sunscreen alone?
Although skin care products such as moisturizer and make-up contain sunscreens at one level or another, it is still better to additionally use a separate sunscreen – the amount of skin care products that we put on our face will not be thick enough to properly protect our skin. It’s true that we can afford to put a larger amount of moisturizer with a sunscreen, but the problem is that it often also contains other active ingredients that don’t always mix well with the sunscreens inside. If you are afraid of an excess amount of creams on your face or of irritations and allergy symptoms from too many sunscreens (those in the skin care product together with those in the sunscreen), at least in the summer, prefer to use sunscreen during the day and at night you can complete the skin care process with various moisturizers. Overall, if you check the ingredient lists on your day and night creams, you will find that there are no real differences between them and they contain almost the same ingredients. By the way, when exposed to the sun it is also important to avoid using substances that increase sensitivity to light, such as perfumes containing alcohol or plant extracts and oils various.
After exposure to the sun… what happens?
Exposure to the sun means free radicals in our skin, which leads to premature aging and even skin cancer, God forbid. Although our skin has natural antioxidants that fight free radicals (which among other things, also result from factors such as smoking and air pollution), they decrease with age and it is very important to replenish them. Therefore, after exposure to the sun, it is advisable to use products containing antioxidant components such as vitamins C and E, or herbal components such as green tea, for example. If you regularly spend a long time in the sun, it is important to apply a nourishing moisturizer afterwards so that the skin does not dry out, lose its elasticity and wrinkles start to appear. If, even though you used sunscreens, you got a little sunburned, you can and should apply soothing substances such as licorice root extract or aloe vera to your skin. A quality day or night cream also contains nourishing and soothing ingredients.
So after we have internalized and understood all the risks involved in prolonged exposure to the sun, here are some tips that will help you protect yourself as much as possible, as well as those that will soothe and/or care for your skin after exposure or even give it a tan, without risking it.
1. It is important to adjust the preparation according to the type and tone of the skin. For example, those with fair skin are recommended to use higher sun protection factors, those with oily skin are recommended to use products without fat.
2. It is important to verify the duration of the water resistance of the sun protection preparation. Wading in water, sweating and sand that sticks to the skin of the body reduce the durability of the protective product and therefore it is necessary to apply cream on the body and face every 2-3 hours.
3. It is recommended to apply the protective product to the entire body, before wearing the swimsuit, also in those places that will be covered by the swimsuit and that will not be directly exposed to the sun.
4. The expiration date of sun protection products ranges from one to two years. An old preparation may damage the skin and will not be effective in sun protection. That is why it is recommended to purchase a protection filter that has an expiration date. It should be noted that the sun protection products are intended for use for one year from the day the product is opened, even if the expiration date indicated on them is for two years.
5. When it comes to sensitive, allergic skin or skin suffering from any skin problem, a doctor or pharmacist should be consulted so that they can adjust the most suitable protective product.
Don’t forget to also wear a wide-brimmed hat and dark sunglasses.
And the main thing is to drink
