Caring for your skin in the sun
It's as simple as "Slip! Slop! Slap!" as they say in Australia – slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat! We should all protect ourselves from the sun, as different skin types react in different ways to sunlight. The extent to which your skin can cope with the sun, and therefore how much protection you need to take, depends on genetic and racial factors. Red-headed, fair skinned people with freckles require the highest protection from the sun whereas people with black skin have more natural protection from the sun's rays.
The damage caused to skin by sun & how it happens
Ultraviolet (UV) light rays emitted by the sun are the cause of damage to our skin. This damage may be visible as age spots, fine (or not so fine) lines or simply as skin that has lost its elasticity eg hands that have lost their youthful suppleness.
There are two types of UV rays. UVA rays primarily cause an ageing effect on the skin and UVB rays primarily cause burning. The amount of UV reaching the earth's surface varies depending on factors such as the time of year, the time of day, the weather, the amount of ozone in the atmosphere and the altitude.
More information about UV rays
UVA is long wavelength radiation that penetrates deeply into the skin. It triggers the production of melanin, the pigment that causes the skin to tan. By breaking down the collagen and elastin in the skin, UVA rays are primarily responsible for speeding up the ageing process. UVA exists throughout the daylight hours, in both summer and winter, so we are exposed to it more than UVB.
UVB is a shorter wavelength radiation that mainly affects the outer layers of the skin and is mostly responsible for causing sunburn. UVB is mostly present during the summer months. Because sunburn changes the skin's DNA, it can also lead to skin cancers (in the past it was thought that only UVB damage could lead to skin cancer, but now it is believed that UVA also plays a part.)
Sunburn occurs when skin has not been sufficiently protected from the sun's UV rays, when the body is unable to produce enough melanin to protect the skin. Sunburn destroys cells on the skin's outer layer, the epidermis. In most cases these burns are minor, causing red, tender, sometimes blistered skin that sheds or 'peels' after several days.
What to look for in a sunscreen
Choosing which sunscreen to use can be difficult with the huge choice now available, and many promising different things. The two critical things to look for when choosing your sunscreen are:
- that it protects against both UVA and UVB radiation from the sun – this is often labelled 'broad spectrum'
- that it has the right sun protection factor (SPF), a minimum of 15
Whilst most sun creams will last 2 - 3 years (so it is OK to use last year's bottle if it's been stored somewhere reasonably cool), bottles from 5 years ago should not be used as they are likely to provide less effective protection.
SPF
SPF stands for 'Sun Protection Factor' and it measures the length of time a product protects against skin reddening from UVB rays compared to the length of time the skin takes to redden without protection. For example if it takes 10 minutes for your skin to burn without any protection, applying a suncream with an SPF factor of 15 will theoretically protect you from burning for 15 x 10 minutes.
Golden rules to protect yourself in the sun
- always wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher applied to any area of your body you cannot protect from the sun with clothing. Clothing should be made from tightly woven fabric
- sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before being exposed to the sun, and reapplied regularly, and always after swimming
- wear a wide brimmed hat that will protect the back of your neck and ears, and a loose fitting long-sleeved top
- remember that UV radiation is at its highest in the middle of the day, from 11 - 3 pm, so try to avoid the sun during these hours and stay in the shade
- wear wraparound sunglasses or goggles that meet recommended standards – these block 95 percent of UV radiation that can damage eyes and cause cataracts. For safety reasons, sunglasses for children should have plastic instead of glass lenses
- ideally, keep children under the age of 3 out of the sun at all times
It is particularly important for children and young people to take care in the sun. One reason is that babies' and young children's skin is naturally more delicate and prone to damage from the sun's rays – a baby can get sunburnt in as little as 10 - 15 minutes even on a cloudy day.
The good news is that by following these rules you receive double protection: keeping your skin staying younger and smoother, as well as reducing the risk of developing skin cancer. But if you still spend some time soaking up the rays, make sure you take extra care of your skin after being in the sun.
Tips on after-sun skin care
After exposing your skin to the sun, take a cool shower or bath. While your skin is still slightly damp, apply a cooling lotion, such as Vaseline Aloe Fresh lotion with Aloe Vera and cucumber extracts, all over your body to refresh and soothe skin.
If you do get a bit of sunburn, here are a few things that can help ease the pain:
- drink as much water as you can, to ensure you don’t get dehydrated
- use a cold compress over the burned skin to ease the pain. If the burn is severe, you should seek advice from a doctor
- apply calamine lotion to help to cool the skin and reduce the itching associated with sunburn
- most important is to avoid any further exposure to the sun until the burns have healed
Alternatively, if you crave that summer glow, the increasing availability and sophistication of self-tanning products provide a great way to achieve a tan without sacrificing the health of your skin!
