It has become a common belief that we only use sun protection when we go on holiday, to the water or when we know that our skin is exposed to the sun and could potentially get sunburned. In reality, we should use sun protection every day, regardless of the season. Reading this, many people will probably think: but how is it every day? Why use a cream with a filter in the winter or autumn if there is no sun?
Let's start with a little theoretical introduction to better understand how radiation works 😊
There are three types of UV radiation: UVA, UVB and UVC.
▶︎ UVA – penetrates the deepest into the skin, is responsible for skin aging and cancer, changes in DNA, its intensity is the same regardless of the season and weather.
▶︎ UVB – is felt by us because this radiation causes redness and influences the tan.
▶︎ UVC – a very short wave that does not reach the earth's surface.
We are also exposed to:
HEV – High-Energy Visible Light this visible light is emitted by electronic devices (smartphones, tablets).
IR – infrared radiation.
When looking for products with filters, we should primarily look for the UVA (in a circle), UVB, HEV markings. Example below:
We are not aware of how harmful radiation is to us. UV radiation causes photoaging. This is a process of degeneration and damage to the skin caused by ultraviolet light. It is particularly visible in people who are exposed to sunlight, but also those who do not use appropriate sun protection, i.e. filters.
We cannot see UV rays with the naked eye, but this does not mean that they do not affect our body. The processes that UV rays cause are very unfavorable.
Effects of photoaging these include, among others:
↪︎ Wrinkles - the sun stimulates free radicals to work, which accelerate skin aging, during sun exposure our facial expressions are often very active and for example we wrinkle our foreheads, squint our eyes, which results in facial wrinkles.
↪︎ Changes in skin quality – As a result of sun exposure without adequate protection, our skin becomes thin, less elastic, dry and more susceptible to damage.
↪︎ Pigmentation disorders – in the form of freckles, sun spots, which may appear immediately after sunbathing or as a result of long-term exposure to radiation on the skin.
↪︎ Pre-cancerous and neoplastic changes – actinic keratosis, basal and squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma.
According to statistics, the number of skin cancer cases is significantly increasing. We also tend to sunbathe excessively during our vacations – we want to take advantage of the sun and get a tan, because how can we come back from vacation without a tan? 😊 It's as if we weren't on vacation at all. Then, wanting to take advantage of the sun's rays, very often the skin overheats and becomes very red. In reality, skin redness after sunbathing is a defensive reaction of our body. Such redness, or in a worse scenario, skin burn, can lead to long-term skin damage.
It is also crucial to check your moles – remember to visit a dermatologist once a year and have your moles and birthmarks checked. If you notice that any of your changes change size, spread on your skin, start bleeding or cracking – do not ignore this fact, go to a specialist for a consultation immediately.
What should we remember when applying products with filters?
The cause of sunburn is not only a complete lack of protective care. Such a situation can also occur when care is incorrect. First of all - a single or careless application of a cream with a filter, even the highest one, is not enough to provide the skin with adequate protection.
Most of us apply an amount “by eye” and spread the product on our skin. I conducted a small experiment on myself and checked how such a hasty application looks in UV light and whether my skin is actually adequately protected. The dark areas are those with a sunscreen. You can see that I skipped the hairline, the area around the ears and the skin under the nose. You can also see that a much smaller amount was applied to the eye area. And now the question may arise whether sunscreens can be applied in this area at all? True, not all of them, because some “migrate” across our skin and after a few hours we can feel a characteristic burning sensation in our eyes, but the product I applied for these tests and which has already appeared in this article is adequate for this purpose.
The photo was taken with a LUMISCAN® device
Golden rules that we should follow when applying photoprotective products 😊
1️⃣ Apply sunscreen about 20-30 minutes before going out into the sun.
2️⃣ Try to apply the right amount for your skin surface – modern, light formulas with high SPF do not leave a sticky, white layer on the skin, they are also quickly absorbed, and their use is really easy and pleasant.
3️⃣ Remember to also apply to hard-to-reach places, such as ears, eyelids, creases, hairline, skin under the nose or neck.
4️⃣ Reapply SPF cream every 2 hours and every time you get out of the water.
5️⃣ Measure the right amount of product for you. In theory, we should apply 2mg of sunscreen to every 1cm2 of skin surface, the average amount is 1.3g.
6️⃣ The cream should be thoroughly rubbed into every part of the skin.
7️⃣ Use high protection all year round. Just because you can't see the sun in winter doesn't mean it's not there.
Many people probably still can't wrap their heads around the idea of using sunscreens every day - many of us associate such products with being heavy, sticky, greasy and burdening the skin. Fortunately, filter technology has advanced so much that currently available sunscreens are wonderful skincare products with light, pleasant consistencies that can be used every day with pleasure.
These products contain not only chemical, mineral or mixed filters, but also ingredients with moisturizing, antioxidant, soothing and calming effects.
An example of a product that will work great in everyday care is the Multi-protective face cream from the POST TREATMENT CARE line SPF50++++ with UVA, UVB, HEV and IR protection.
The product is enriched with ingredients such as:
✔︎ SICK – has soothing, anti-inflammatory and calming properties, strengthens damaged skin.
✔︎ D-panthenol – has anti-inflammatory effects, accelerates the regeneration process of the epidermis.
✔︎ Fatty acids – support the reconstruction of the hydrolipid barrier, have a softening effect and support repair processes.
✔︎ Polyglutamic acid – has strong moisturizing properties, has strong properties to bind water in the epidermis.
✔︎ Ceramide Complex AP, EOP, NP – naturally occurring building substances in the epidermis, a key component in maintaining skin homeostasis, i.e. the balance between the external and internal environment,
I hope that this article will make more and more people become friends with sunscreens and use them in their daily care as cancer prevention.
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Adrianna Chwalibogowska – Brand Manager and Trainer for Bielenda Professional, expert in treatment therapies, enthusiast of modern cosmetology solutions. Passionate about a holistic approach to care.
