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 UV exposure can cause not only sunburn but also skin cancer, so it is best to avoid it as much as possible.
Ultraviolet rays are known to be the most important cause of skin aging and pigmentation disorders. Professor Kwon Soon-hyo of the Department of Dermatology at Kyunghee University Hospital in Gangdong said, “Exposure to ultraviolet rays promotes the breakdown of collagen in the skin and stimulates melanocytes that produce pigment, making pigment diseases worse such as spots. It is easy to understand if you think of the fact that it is not only full of tiny wrinkles, but also full of age spots or black spots.”
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. Professor Kwon Soon-hyo said, “This is because UV exposure induces mutations in keratinocytes in the skin, leading to skin cancer. Sometimes, exposure to sunlight is intentional for the synthesis of vitamin D. Even in this case, skin cancer It’s good to expose your arms and legs to sunlight, except for the face, which is the most common part,” he advised.
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.
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.
You should choose different types of sunscreen for each type of skin, 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 allergen-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.
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.
It is important to reduce exposure to UV rays and use sunscreen because the younger you are, the more vulnerable you are to UV damage and the more likely you are to get sunburn. Professor Kwon Soon-hyo said, “Children have thin skin and a large surface area compared to their body weight, so the amount absorbed is relatively high, so the possibility of systemic side effects is higher.” It is recommended to use sunscreen only if it is more than a month old.” Professor Kwon continued, “From 6 months to 2 years old, it is recommended to use a sunscreen made of only physical blocking ingredients that have low absorption and have a low possibility of side effects such as skin irritation and allergies. A product that has been applied is preferred. It is better to apply it avoiding the area around the eyes and use a water-resistant product.”
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