How to enjoy the sun
By Dra. Margarita Giardelli, Dermatologist
Children spend long time outdoors, exposed to sun. Is estimated that in the first 18 years they received the 70 percent of the ultraviolet radiation that will be absorbed throughout all the life. Therefore, it is fundamental to extreme the cares, specially during the childhood.
The action of ultra-violet rays is accumulated in the skin through the years. For that reason, the people who have taken sun indiscriminately or who have undergone serious solar burns during the childhood have greater risk of suffering cancer of the skin, although use a suitable solar protection in the adult age. The safety measures must begin to be implemented from the first exposures. The sun is not only received in the beach or the vacation camp. Boys also are exposed while they play in the patio, in the seat, or during sports practice. If they remain in open places, exposed to the ultraviolet radiation, it is fundamental to protect them with a solar screen with solar factor of protection (minimum 15) of good quality.
Solar Factor Protection (SFP). The SFP indicates whichever time takes the skin in reddening itself using protection, compared with which it would delay without her. For example, if a person puts itself red in 5 minutes without using solar protection, applying a FPS 10 it took 50 minutes. So that it is effective, the SPF does not have to be inferior to 15. Most recommendable they are the products that contain parsol, mexoryl or titanium dioxide, substances that reflect the ultraviolet radiation and protect against rays UVB and UVA. Always choose products of good quality. Your doctor will prescribe you most the reliable brands.
The solar filter is not everything. The sun exposure schedule is also important, as well as the clothes, that must be of cotton of heavy plot and clear colors, and the use of caps or hats. Is indispensable to install well habits from early ages. Boys imitate the example of the adults: if parents does not protect of the sun, they will not do it either when they grow up.
Before buying solar protector for babies, you may make a consultation with the pediatric dermatologist. Some products are not adapted for the delicate skin of the children and can cause dermatitis. Even with an appropriate protection, babies do not have to remain into the sun more than 15 minutes, and always within the safe schedules (before 11 in the morning and after 4 in the afternoon), underneath a parasol or inside of a tent, and dressed in suitable clothes, T shirt and cap. The solar radiation will even penetrate underneath the parasol or inside of the tent, so that it is always due to be well protected. The ultra-violet rays are also present in cloudy days, and they are received even underneath a tree. Also the water, the sand and the snow reflect the double of the ultraviolet radiation.
Tanning does not take place immediately, it appears about 72 later hours to the exposure. The immediate consequences of the sun are usually reddening and burns, and that is what must be avoided: the repetition of this type of injuries can cause skin cancer. For that reason, the first 4 or 5 days the exposure must be 15 to 20 minutes daily, increasing gradually –between 5 to 10 minutes per day always within the safe hours and using an appropriate protection.
The prolonged solar exposure without the right protection will cause premature aging of the skin because of the destruction of elastic fibers and colagen. Nevertheless, the damage less visible and more alarming is the skin cancer.
In addition to the damage that it causes in the skin (eritema, burns, cancer of skin), the ultraviolet radiation also can cause injuries in the eyes, like conjuntivitis or queratitis and, besides, dehydration, fever, vomits, you feel nauseous and gastroenteritis.
NOT EVERYTHING IS BAD
The sun has favorable effects for the organism: besides the improve of humor, it synthesizes vitamin D and it prevents the raquitism and the osteoporosis, since it favors the absorption of calcium in the bones.
Between 5 and 10 minutes daily of direct exhibition, before the 11 in the morning and after the 4 in the afternoon, they are enough for the vitamin D synthesis.
UVA-UVB RAYS
UVA rays: they cause the wrinkles and the cutaneous aging. They can penetrate in the deeper layer of the skin (dermis) since its wavelength is greater than the one of rays UVB. They are present all year and are responsible for the skin tanning throughout the time.
Rays UVB: they cause the reddening, the burns, the cancer of skin and the damages in the eyes. They are present during the summer and they penetrate in the superficial layer of the skin (epidermis).
Both UVA and UVB rays can cause cutaneous cancer. First, because they reach the deepest layers of the skin and the seconds because they can cause burns, whose repetition throughout the life can derive in cancerous injuries.