[의학신문·일간보사=이승덕 기자]The rain has passed and the hot summer sun is shining once more.
After spending time outdoors in the scorching sun, you are more likely to suffer from sunburns, which can cause your skin to become red and stinging and burning.
However, excessive exposure to UV rays can cause not only sunburn but also skin cancer, so it is best to avoid it as much as possible.
The biggest cause of skin aging and pigmentation is ‘UV rays’ = Ultraviolet rays are known to be the most important cause of skin aging and pigmentation disorders. UV exposure promotes the breakdown of collagen in the skin and stimulates melanocytes that produce pigment, exacerbating pigment diseases such as freckles. It is easy to understand if you think of the old man who worked outdoors a lot when he was young, not only full of small wrinkles, but also full of age spots or black spots.
Increases the risk of skin cancer by inducing cell mutations = Although wrinkles and age spots are a good thing in terms of health, chronic UV exposure increases the risk of skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. This is because UV exposure induces mutations in skin keratinocytes, leading to skin cancer.
Occasionally, exposure to sunlight is intentional for the synthesis of vitamin D. Even in this case, it is better to expose the arms and legs to sunlight except for the face, which is an area where skin cancer is most likely to occur.
Regardless of the type of sunscreen, choose a product that blocks both UV A and B = It is best to choose a sunscreen that can block both UV A and B UV. The first index to check when choosing a sunscreen is SPF, which indicates the degree to which the skin is protected from UVB. PA is the blocking index for UV A and is expressed as +/++/+++ depending on the degree.
It is more effective to reapply more often than with a high SPF = SPF15 blocks 94%, SPF30 blocks 97%, and SPF50 blocks 98%. If you look at the blocking rate alone, it would be good to apply SPF50, but once applied, the sunscreen is washed away little by little under the influence of sweat, so it is important to apply a sufficient amount and reapply frequently, even if you choose a high SPF one.
In general, apply it 30 minutes before going out and apply a sufficient amount thoroughly every 2-3 hours. It is also effective to apply an amount of 1.0mg/cm2, which is half the recommended amount, twice.
Select different types of blockers for each type such as sensitive, dry, or oily skin= For sensitive skin, it is recommended to use a physical blocker that does not contain chemical blockers, hypoallergenic products, fragrance-free, and allergy-free products as much as possible.
For dry skin, a cream type sunscreen is better, and a waterproof type with excellent moisturizing power is better. For oily skin, an essence or lotion type sunscreen with less oiliness is good. Chemical sunscreens can make acne worse, so it’s a good idea to choose a combination of chemical and physical sunscreens.
◆Formulation selection, part and use must be considered = Ideally, sunscreen is easy to spread evenly and remains on the skin surface without washing off or dripping following application. It is necessary to consider how wide the area will be applied, how evenly it will be applied due to wrinkled hair, and whether it will not be easily washed off with sweat or water.
The cream type is better than the water-soluble type that is easily removed by sweat, and if you mix it with a cream or oil to improve the spreadability, the blocking effect will decrease.
After 6 months of age, it is best to use UV rays as much as possible= The younger you are, the more vulnerable you are to UV damage and the more likely you are to get sunburned, so it is important to reduce your exposure to UV rays and use sunscreen. However, since children have thin skin and a large surface area compared to their body weight, the amount absorbed is relatively high, so the possibility of systemic side effects is higher.
Therefore, the FDA recommends that infants under 6 months of age avoid UV rays by wearing hats and clothes, and that they use sunscreen only if they are over 6 months of age.
For 6 months to 2 years of age, it is recommended to use a sunscreen made of only physical blocking ingredients with low absorption and low possibility of side effects such as skin irritation and allergy, and among them, products containing titanium dioxide are preferred . It is recommended to apply it avoiding the area around the eyes and use a water-resistant product.
