How to protect your skin from harmful UV rays

UV characteristics

A slight breeze can easily mask the strength of their UV rays, resulting in sunburn or unwanted pigment deposits (freckles, chloasma, lentigo, melasma, etc.) without much difficulty.

Of course, our skin needs UV rays, because under their influence, vitamin D synthesis and calcium metabolism in the human body occur. A long stay without UV radiation negatively affects the emotional state, in the autumn-winter period there is an increase in depressive states, an exacerbation of chronic skin diseases (dermatosis) is possible. Thus, without UV, our normal functioning, both emotional and physical, is compromised.

But excessive exposure to the sun also has a negative damaging effect. This spectrum is very wide: under the action of ultraviolet rays, lipofuscin accumulates in cells, and when formed, lipofuscin leads to hypoxia in tissues, damage to mitochondria, and, as a result, to premature aging. Under the action of UV type B at the level of the epidermis, Langengars cells are damaged, which leads to a decrease in immune defense and the accumulation of free radicals. UV-A rays have a very high penetrating power, they are able to penetrate through glass, clothing. They penetrate the dermis through the epidermis, where they have a negative effect, leading to the destruction of collagen fibers, activate melanocytes, induce the appearance of rapid tanning and hyperpigmentation.

So what to do? Where is the line at which the pleasant is combined with the useful?

1. First of all, this is the time when you appear in the sun, the so-called "safe hours", before 12 and after 16 (the time when the sun is least active).

2. Use of a natural screen (tree shade, awnings, umbrellas, etc.).

3. Wearing special clothing with a high protection factor (above 40): wide-brimmed hats, light shirts with long sleeves, long skirts, trousers.

4. Places that remain open should be protected with cosmetic products with sunscreen. The filters that are part of sunscreens are physical (reflect and scatter UV rays) and chemical (absorb rays).

The physical ones include: titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc compounds (zinc oxide - ZnO), iron oxides, the chemical ones - cinnamates, benzophenone, salicylates, camphor derivatives and natural remedies (phytoextracts of aloe, chamomile, caffeic acid, oil " shi").

I would like to remind you that prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays negatively affects not only the condition of the skin, but also hair, therefore special sun protection lines have been developed for them.

You must protect your eyes with sunglasses! Photokeratitis, cataract development, benign formations on the conjunctiva, retinal damage - this is not the whole list of negative effects of the sun.

In addition to all the above factors of external protection, there is also an internal one - this is the intake of vitamins A, E, C, carotenoids, coenzymes Q10, immunomodulators, enzymes, antihistamines. The main rule, however, is to know when to stop and follow the elementary rules of protection, and then the sun and spring will become your best friends and faithful assistants in creating a good mood and an attractive image!