Sun and human skin don't always mix well despite their beneficial effects. Let's explore everything you need to know about the sun and its impact on the skin.
It's always pleasant from the first days of spring to let the sun warm our skin. A gentle warmth immediately envelops us, soothing, and a feeling of well-being prevails.
When it comes to the sun, the poison is in the dose. For a long time, only the various benefits of the sun were known and recognized.
However, for about thirty years, excesses like spending too much time in the sun to tan have contributed to "demonizing" the sun. Consequently, dermatologists have more and more patients who have abused the sun. The symptoms are always the same: prematurely aging skin, overly tanned, or even blackened, rapidly becoming wrinkled and spotted. Moreover, extensive sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancers. These various observations highlight the negative effects of recurrent exposure without protection.
What are the beneficial and harmful effects?
In addition to the obvious well-being provided by the sun, whose impact is still difficult to quantify, its effect is also linked to the circumstances of exposure (holidays and outdoor activities).
The major beneficial effect, crucial in daily life, is the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin under the action of UVB. Exposure of the face for 15 minutes each day (face and hands) is sufficient to synthesize the daily dose of vitamin D. This vitamin is very useful as it strengthens the immune system and promotes the absorption of calcium by the body, thus helping to prevent rickets in infants and osteomalacia in adults.
As for the harmful effects of the sun, they are multiple. However, we will not address heatstroke, which is not only a skin effect of the sun, but rather focus on the different immediate and long-term effects.
What are the immediate harmful effects?
Sunburn: It's a real burn, ranging from redness to second-degree burns with blisters. It can be very painful and require hospitalization in case of extensive sunburn.
Solar herpes: Some individuals may develop a cold sore (fever blister) following prolonged sun exposure.
Skin thickening: Sun exposure leads to thickening of the epidermis, a natural protective reaction that can cause acne outbreaks after exposure stops.
What are the long-term harmful effects?
Skin aging: The sun is the major cause of skin aging, characterized by dry skin, uneven complexion, pigmented spots, rosacea, white microcysts, and wrinkles.
Occurrence of skin cancers: The number of melanomas and other skin cancers is steadily increasing, mainly due to UV radiation.
Some tips to enjoy the benefits of the sun:
Take vitamin D3 regularly to help cover vitamin D needs during the winter months.
In case of heatstroke, drink water and apply a damp towel to the head. In case of sunburn, applying yogurt to the skin can help rebalance the pH and provide immediate relief.
To prepare your skin for sun exposure, taking a complex like Régéderm based on zinc and selenium can be beneficial to help skin cells repair.
The most protective antioxidant for the skin is lycopene, while lutein is effective in protecting the eyes and retina. Look for a quality dietary supplement containing these two antioxidants, such as Antioxidant 200.