→ Remember that in the Mediterranean region the sun is present for most of the year, and that to have ultraviolet radiation lesions and risk of skin cancer it is not necessary to go to the beach. Although sun exposure is very intense on the beach, the sun “from the street” is enough to cause skin cancer in the long run: sunscreen should be routinely applied for outdoor life and not only for going to the beach.
→ Keep in mind that sun exposure in a person’s life includes from childhood to old age, adding the sun “on the street” and the sun on the beach: outdoor life in the Mediterranean (walking, playing sports) by definition involves very intense sun exposure in a passive way.
→ Minimize sun exposure at times of greatest radiation, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., since this is when the Sun is closest to the Earth’s atmosphere. When your shadow is shorter than your height, avoid sun exposure.
→ Whenever possible, use physical sun protection:
· Synthetic clothing (preferably polyester, which protects from UVB rays). Dark and fluorescent colors protect more. Tight, light clothing that is damp from sweat protects less.
· Hat with 360º brim.
· Sunglasses approved against UVA and UVB radiation.
· There are sunscreens that stick to clothing when it is washed with specific products.
→ Whenever you go outside (even if you are not at the beach) apply a sunscreen with a minimum protection factor of 30 – 50 SPF, which covers against UVA and UVB radiation. Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure and renewed every 2 hours and after each bath (or intense sweating). Apply it evenly to all exposed areas of the body, not forgetting the nose, lips and ears (and the scalp in hairless subjects).
→ Use sunscreen as if it were a moisturizer to get used to it: either after shaving in the case of men, or as a morning nourishing cream in either case. Remember that there are presentations that incorporate makeup and are available in the form of cream and powder. The best anti-aging cosmetic that exists is a sunscreen.
→ Natural tanning of the skin provides an ultraviolet protection factor of approximately 2-4 SPF. Black people have a natural protection factor of approximately 13 SPF and filter twice as much UVB radiation. For this reason, when a person tans, it is NOT recommended to lower the protection factor of the sunscreen, as a large part of its effect is lost. For example, if you start the summer season with an FSP50 and, once tanned (+4 SPF), you go to SPF 30, you lose 16 SPF. This increases the risk of skin cancer.
→ The application of a sunscreen does NOT prevent tanning of the skin. It decreases the probability of burning (erythema) and skin cancer, allowing the cosmetic benefit of tanning. The fact of having a sunscreen applied does not completely neutralize ultraviolet radiation or confer invulnerability even if it is ‘total screen’: it will still tan, it will just take a little longer.
→ Wearing sunscreen does not have to increase the hours of exposure to the sun due to a false sense of total protection. The sunscreen will never filter 100% of ultraviolet radiation, it only reduces a percentage (very variable depending on the SPF, the way of application, the type of sunscreen…).
→ Avoid exposure to artificial sources of ultraviolet radiation (tanning booths), which accelerate premature skin aging and increase the risk of skin cancer when exposure is repeated. If you want a darker skin tone for aesthetic reasons, you can resort to cosmetic tanning products (sprays, creams, wipes).
→ Do not hesitate to consult a dermatology professional if you have any doubts or if any new skin lesion appears. It is advisable to have a skin check-up with a dermatologist at least once a year, and to consult whenever changes are observed in an existing lesion or in the face of a new lesion.
TYPES OF SUNSCREENS
TOPICS
They are applied directly to the skin surface.
– Physical. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. They absorb and reflect ultraviolet radiation. They are low allergenic and easily visible at a cosmetic level since they leave a white residue.
– Chemicals. They may be more effective against ultraviolet B radiation (para-aminobenzoic acid, cinnamates -octyl methoxycinnamate-, salicylates -octasilate, homosalate, trolemine salicylate-, ultraviolet A radiation (benzophenones -oxybenzone-, avobenzone -butylmethoxybenzenxoylmethane-, ecamsule -mexoryl SX-) or have an antioxidant potential (flavonoids, resveratrol -originating from grapes-, hydroxynnamic acids, green tea, Polypodium leucotomos).
ORAL
Carotenes, flavonoids, tea and wine polyphenols, Polypodium leucotomos.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
· Diehl JW, Chiu MW. Effects of ambient sunlight and photoprotection on vitamin D status. Dermatol Ther. 2010 Jan-Feb; 23(1):48-60.
· Wang SQ, Balagula Y, Osterwalder U. Photoprotection: a review of the current and future technologies. Dermatol Ther. 2010 Jan-Feb; 23(1):31-47.
· Narayanan DL, Saladi RN, Fox JL. Ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer. Int J Dermatol 2010 Sep; 49(9):978-86.
