Specialist from Yeni Yüzyıl University Gaziosmanpaşa Hospital Department of Dermatology. Dr. Emre Araz gave information about 'damages caused by sun rays on the skin'.
The most important step we should pay attention to in sun protection is to avoid the sun, especially between 10:00 and 14:00, when the sunlight is at its steepest. It should always be preferred to stay in the shade when we are outside. Not only in clear and sunny weather, but also in cloudy and cloudy days, 80% of ultraviolet (UV) rays reach the earth's surface.
Our clothes form an important barrier in protection from the sun. Hats and sunglasses should be used. Ideally, a hat with a 10 cm sun visor should be used, and opaque fabric should be preferred when choosing a hat. Thick fabrics, tightly woven fabrics, fabrics that have shrunk slightly with washing, polyester clothes have higher protective properties. Faded or wet clothing has less protective properties. Sunglasses with full UVA-UVB filters should be used to prevent the effects of sun rays on the eyes and the formation of cataracts.
Watch out for these when going out in the summer.
Sunscreen creams and lotions should be applied 30 minutes before going out, and should be renewed every 2-4 hours. It is known that the first repetition 30 minutes after going out in the sun increases the effectiveness. If you will spend a long time in the sea or in the pool, water-resistant formulas should be preferred. Sunscreen should be reapplied after swimming, excessive activity and drying. In order for sunscreens to be effective, it is very important to use them abundantly. It should be applied to all areas exposed to UV without rubbing in a sufficient thickness to form a layer. Roughly enough sunscreen for the face area is 1/3 teaspoon. When a quarter of this amount is applied, the protection of the product decreases 8 times. Sunscreens should not be used to prolong sun exposure.
Your sunscreen should contain both UVB and UVA
When choosing sunscreen, broad-spectrum products that protect against both UVA and UVB should be chosen. Because the "physical protectors" in sunscreens physically block the sun's rays (eg, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide), they are used in combination with chemical preservatives in broad-spectrum products. Although the use of SPF 15 is sufficient in the winter months in areas with average sun exposure, this value is insufficient in the summer months. Protection under SPF 15 should not be used, and creams with a protection factor of at least 30 should be used for summer months.
Do sunscreens affect vitamin D synthesis?
The fear that the use of sunscreen will interfere with the synthesis of vitamin D has caused people to avoid protection. However, only 10-20 minutes of daily exposure to the sun on the face and back of the hands provides the highest vitamin D production, even with regular use of sunscreen. Tanning reduces the production of vitamin D. Vitamin D synthesis from the skin decreases with increasing age. For all these reasons, if vitamin D is deficient, it seems more logical to eliminate this deficiency by taking vitamin D supplements from the outside, instead of sunlight, which is known to cause cancer for its synthesis.
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