With the onset of sunny days, we make pleasant holiday plans and prefer outdoor activities more. However, it is necessary to pay special attention to protecting the health and beauty of our skin in the spring and summer seasons. Because the sun is necessary for us, but too much of it can damage our skin.
Staying in the sun too long can cause serious problems both in the short term and in the long term. For example, sunburns are one of the most common skin problems we encounter in summer. In the long term, due to excessive exposure to the sun, conditions such as freckles, blemishes, wrinkles, age spots and moles, yellowing and thickening of the skin, benign skin tumors and skin cancer may occur.
Sunburns; It can occur in a very short time, within 2-4 hours, when the rays are vertical. In sunburn, first the skin turns red as a whole, and then small blisters filled with fluid appear. At this time, the skin is warm and sensitive. As the burn progresses, the endings of the nerves in the lower layers of the skin begin to be affected and severe pain occurs. In treatment, the skin must first be cooled. For this, a compress soaked in cold water can be applied. Painkillers and antipyretics can be used when necessary. After the whole body has cooled, frequent moisturizing of the skin allows the skin to heal quickly. If there is itching in the burned areas, creams that will reduce itching but do not cause allergies and do not contain alcohol can be applied. Places that collect water should be left as they are; If they have burst, precautions must be taken to prevent the skin from becoming infected. Generally, complaints decrease within 48-72 hours. However, the degree of the burn will determine both the healing time and the risk of stains and scars.
In the long term, the negative effects of the sun accumulate over the years due to repeated contact. In other words, the long hours we spend in our childhood and youth years, at play, at school, on the street in our leisure activities, are very important. Sun exposure is highest in these years. Again, during the adult period, sunlight exposure has increased over the years, especially in occupational groups working in open areas such as sailors, farmers, construction and road workers. Exposure to them can be very intense. Cultural factors, liking and popularity of tanned skin also significantly affect sun avoidance behavior during summer holidays. The ultraviolet rays of the sun cause changes in the structure of frequently renewed cells, especially the cells that give the skin its color, and lead to the occurrence of some diseases. The most common of these are sunspots. We often attribute these brown spots on the face and hands to old age. However, if a person manages to protect himself from the sun throughout his years of life, he can have spotless skin when he gets older. These sun effects that occur after many years can lead to loss of skin elasticity, skin thickening and wrinkles, and unfortunately, skin tumors and skin cancer. Therefore, while it is important to benefit from sunlight, it is also important to know how to protect yourself from excessive ultraviolet rays.
Since many people do not have sufficient knowledge, they use products with low protection factors. It tries to protect itself from the damage of the sun, but this may increase the problems rather than reduce them. It is not dermatologically appropriate to want the skin to burn from the sun for aesthetic reasons and to want it to happen quickly, or to apply various oils that have no protective properties because it is fashionable to look bronze.
Using sunscreen suitable for our skin color and structure helps protect us from both sunburn and long-term skin blemishes, benign skin tumors and skin cancer.
Sunscreens can be examined in two groups: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreens are products that contain one or more chemicals. They absorb more than 95% of UV, making light energy harmless. Physical sunscreens are products that minimize the damage of UV rays by distributing and reflecting them. When it comes to sunscreens, SPF (Sun Protect) is the constantly mentioned number that helps to numerically evaluate the effectiveness of the product. Factor) number shows how much the protective product blocks the burning effect of sunlight. There are creams with protective factors ranging from 2 to 60. For effective protection, a product with at least SPF 30 should be preferred. It is important to apply the product half an hour before sun exposure and repeat it every 3-4 hours. Otherwise, unfortunately, the sunscreen product applied in the morning will not protect you from the sun all day long. Another issue that should be taken into consideration when choosing a product is whether your skin is dry, oily, combination or if you have blemishes and acne problems. Oily skin types should prefer gel and lotion forms instead of cream forms. Otherwise, increased oiliness and acne formation may occur. Physical protectors are preferably used in children and pregnant women. For babies, mechanical protection, the use of umbrellas, hats and avoiding the sun as much as possible are recommended.
When all these issues are taken into consideration, it is possible to spend these beautiful sunny days in a pleasant and healthy way. And without giving up on healthy and glowing skin...
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