Although direct sun exposure is essential for our body to synthesize vitamin D, necessary to strengthen bones and muscles, it is important to protect the skin from the sun when we are going to be exposed to it for more than 8 to 15 minutes. Prolonged ultraviolet radiation promotes premature skin aging, dehydration, and sun spots.
How to protect your skin
To keep your skin healthy and radiant, and to prevent long-term problems, it is essential to know how to protect it from the sun. Here are some tips to help you do that!
- Use sunscreen daily. Using sunscreen is essential to protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Don’t forget to apply it to all exposed areas, including ears, neck, and the backs of your hands.
- Wear caps and wide-brimmed hats. Using accessories that cover the face is another way to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
- Wear sunglasses. Wearing sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays protects your eyes and the delicate skin around them.
- Maintain a proper skincare routine. Include skincare products with antioxidants like vitamins C and E in your routine, as they can neutralize free radicals generated by sun exposure.
- Hydrate inside and out. Sun exposure can dehydrate the skin. So, drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated from the inside out and use moisturizers to maintain the skin’s moisture barrier.
- Avoid tanning beds. These aesthetic treatments also emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation harmful to the skin. It is better to avoid them and instead use other techniques that help protect your skin from the sun, such as self-tanners.
- Avoid intense irradiation hours. Avoid the sun during the most harmful hours of the day, especially between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.
- Self-examination. Performing regular skin self-exams and consulting a dermatologist if you notice any suspicious changes helps improve the prognosis of sun-related skin problems.
Types of sun damage
Exposure to the sun without proper protection can cause different types of skin lesions. These lesions can cause anything from temporary and reversible damage to chronic and potentially fatal problems.
- Carcinomas . These are the most common skin tumors. They are usually reddish spots on the skin that can scale and bleed.
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Melanomas. Lesions caused by sun exposure that usually follow the ABCDE rule:
- A: Asymmetry
- B: Irregular borders, which may have points
- C: Non-uniform color, which can range from a darker to a lighter tone
- D: Diameter greater than 6 mm.
- E: Evolution. Over time, these lesions change in appearance, size, color, and thickness.
- Age spots or solar lentigines. This is another type of skin lesion that appears due to sun exposure. In this case, they are benign spots, which usually appear mainly on the face, neckline, and hands.
The sun has its benefits
Although we often focus on the negative aspects of the sun on the skin, the truth is that the sun also has interesting benefits for our health and well-being. For example, direct sun exposure, not exceeding fifteen minutes a day, helps to improve sleep quality and makes our mood more positive.
Another of the benefits of the sun on the skin is that solar radiation enables the production of vitamin D, which is necessary to prevent rickets and to metabolize calcium.
It should be noted that protecting the skin from the sun allows us to benefit from this synthesis of vitamin D, avoiding the risks associated with solar radiation.
The skin has memory
The skin damage caused by the sun they never disappear. Instead, they accumulate over time. For this reason, it is even more important to protect and recover your skin from the sun from an early age, and continue doing so consistently in our daily lives, not just in summer.
At Toskani, we work with the most innovative solutions and products to help protect your skin from the sun and other environmental factors. Learn more at your nearest Toskani center!