The mercury is rising and it is Summer Holidays and
we have to take care to prevent sun damage.-Vitaderm Reflective Sun Barrier SPF 25+
There are so many articles about the dangers of sun
exposure and how to prevent and treat it, but it is something that I am very
passionate about, so here we go again!
What causes skin cancer?
- Sun tanning also darkens the colour of any
scarring, even acne scars, making them more obvious.
- The sun dries the skin out, resulting in dry,
scaly patches appearing all over your body.
- Extended
exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UVA) rays is one of the risk
factors associated with eye disorders such as cataracrs. Sunlight reflected
from the surface of water or other reflective
medium can cause conjunctivitis and keratitis.
- Even a slight sunburn, can inflame your eyes,
leaving it red and irritable.
- Only one day of improper tanning will leave
your freckles darker, more and more obvious.
- All sun exposure accumulates over time and
will sneak up on you later in life.
Bridget Bardot, famous actress and ‘sex’-kitten of the 60’s and
70’s, now refuses to leave her house and to be seen in public as she looks quite awful due to years of
sun- tanning, burning and blistering.
It is mainly the ultra violet rays, UVA and UVB which cause
the damage. UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, gradually destroying
elasticity and causing premature ageing. UVB rays cause skin damage and can
alter the structure of skin cells, and ultimately lead to possible skin cancer.
UVC rays are the most dangerous but as they are blocked out by the ozone layer,
they don’t reach the earth’s surface
A few
people inherit a high-risk faulty gene, and some families tend to have large
number of moles, which may increase the risk that these can become malignant.
Should one wear a sunscreen?
One should
always wear a sunscreen when being outdoors, whether it is raining, snowing or
shining, not only when tanning! However, be careful not to spend longer in the
sun and so increasing the risk of burning.
“Studies are now confirming that sunscreens can
protect against non-melanoma skin cancer, but keeping out of the sun completely
is the best way to reduce risk”, says Dr Catherine Harwood, honorary consultant
in dermatology at Barts and The London NHS Trust Centre for Cutaneous
Research. As this is not quite possible
to always stay out of the sun, one should always protect oneself adequately.
Which sunscreen to use?
Sun protection
creams/oils are rated according to their sun protection factor (SPF). It refers to the amount of time a product
increases your skin’s natural level of protection. For example, SPF15 allows you to stay in the
sun, without burning, 15 times longer than if you were not wearing any
cream/oil, providing that you re-apply it often. However, SPF50+ sunscreen does not mean you can stay out
of the sun for longer periods of time, without re-appying it often and you should also use sunscreen in
conjunction with other sun protection measures - hats,
sunglasses, clothing, shade.
Look at the
ingredient in the sun cream. Any word
which end with –cinnamate or –salicytate protects against UVB only. Avobenzone or Parsol 1789 protects against
UVA only. Oxybenzone, titanium dioxide
and zinc oxide protect against both. Please ensure that you use sunscreens that
protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
A sunscreen labelled Broad Spectrum offers protection from
both UVA and UVB rays.
Vitaderm is
offering an extra-special discount on both the Reflective Sunscreen SPF 15+ and
the Reflective Sun Barrier SPF 25+, for the month of December 2015
Vitaderm’s
sunscreens are non-greasy, making them a popular choice with all. A reflective sunscreen contains particles
that reflect the sun’s rays. This allows the product developers to incorporate
fewer chemicals to achieve the required SPF.
Vitaderm’s
sun screen and sun barrier creams contain:
Octyl
methoxyciinamte; a FDA approved most popular chemical sunscreen world-wide for
excellent UV absorptions capability with a good safety profile.
Bensophenone-3;
becoming very popular as manufacturers become ome concerned with potential
safety problems with more traditional sunscreen chemicals.
Titanium
dioxide; physical sunscreen
Zinc PCA;
physical sunscreen
Apply a
thick layer 15 to 30 minutes before going into the sun to give the skin time to
absorb it. Reapply every 2 to 4 hours
and after swimming or exercise.
One should
always wear a sun protection on the face, neck and décolletage, as the glare of
the sun that reflects from the dashboard of your car, water, sand and other
surfaces, can burn your face without you even being aware thereof.
Sun beds.
The type of
UV light used in sun beds can cause all types of skin cancer.
People who
use sun beds are three times more likely to develop melanoma of the eye than
those who never use one. The British
Medical Association is now advising people not to use sun beds. It reports that
the risk of developing cancer increases by up to 20% per decade of sun bed use
before the age of 65. Makers of sun beds
may tell you they are safe, but there is definite evidence to the contrary. Both fair and dark skins can get cancer.
In one
session of 15 to 30 minutes on a sun bed, you are exposed to the same amount of
damaging UVA & B rays that you would have been exposed to, if you were in
the sun for one whole day, according to the American Academy for Dermatology.
Other little devils….
Exposure to sun, damage and age the skin
prematurely. This has been proven via
scientific studies numerous times. Not
only does it cause wrinkles, loss of elasticity and damage the skin ability to
produce collagen and elastin, it also gives the skin a leather-like look and
feel. Do you really want to look like tanned cowhide?
The sun
bleach facial hair, and as your tan deepens, your facial hair becomes more
obvious.
Sun tanning also darkens the colour of any
scarring, even acne scars, making them more obvious.
The sun dries the skin out, resulting in dry, scaly
patches appearing all over your body.
Extended
exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays is one of the risk factors associated with eye
disorders such as cataracts. Sunlight reflected from the surface of
water or other reflective medium can cause conjunctivitis and keratitis.
Even a slight sunburn, can inflame your eyes,
leaving it red and irritable.
Only one day of improper tanning will leave your
freckles darker, more and more obvious.
All sun exposure accumulates over time and will sneak up on you later in
life. Bridget Bardot, famous actress and
‘sex’-kitten of the 60’s and 70’s, now refuses to leave her house and to be
seen in public as she looks quite awful
due to years of sun- tanning, burning and blistering
Afterwards
Caring for
sun-tanned or –burned skin is a must. It
not only calms and soothes, but it also nourishes, repairs and regenerates any
skin damage.
Just fake it!
Fake
tanning is so easy these days, with the self-tanning lotions being one of the
most used products in beauty salons word wide.
