Consequences of tanning: how to maintain and improve your tan. About tanning and its consequences

You can argue for a long time about the dangers and benefits of tanning. After all, ultraviolet rays in moderate doses have some positive effects on the body - endorphins are produced, depression disappears, vitamin D is produced, but, unfortunately, not everyone follows it, so we will only consider Negative consequences tanning All experts are unanimous that uncontrolled tanning is harmful and has irreversible consequences, and we are talking not only about tanning under the natural rays of the sun, but also about artificial tanning. It is believed that tanned skin is beautiful, but let's figure out at what price this short-term beauty comes.

When we sunbathe, we are mainly exposed to sun rays alpha and beta. Beta rays do not penetrate deeply, they affect the epidermis, no more than 10% penetrates into the dermis - it is these rays that make our body tanned. Alpha rays are much more harmful and dangerous, they penetrate deep under the skin, damage it, destroy cell DNA, collagen and elastin fibers, as a result of which the skin becomes dehydrated, its aging rate accelerates 10 times - this is called photoaging of the skin, persistent pigment spots are formed, but the most dangerous are the long-term consequences, leading to oncology, which can appear over the years. Are you willing to pay such a price for beauty that in a month there will be no trace left?

In addition to alpha and beta rays, there are also gamma rays that kill all living things and do not penetrate the ozone layer. But due to an increase in industrial emissions of freon, the ozone content in the atmosphere has decreased, many ozone holes have appeared, and today, while sunbathing in the sun, we receive a certain dose of gamma radiation. This is one of the reasons that the incidence of cancer is increasing every year. Tanning is especially harmful to people with obvious symptoms of it, as well as to representatives of the Celtic culture. aristocratic color skin.

Melanoma - a consequence of tanning

1. Excessive tanning leads to immunosuppression - suppression of the immune system and a decrease in the natural defenses of the skin, making us vulnerable to various diseases, including skin cancer. Most dangerous look skin cancer - melanoma. It is dangerous because it metastasizes very quickly. Up to 80% of people who get it dangerous disease, dies, although at an early stage melanoma is easily curable, so delay in contacting a doctor when it appears pigment formations with uneven edges, asymmetrical, uneven in color and a diameter of more than 6 mm. do not do it. It is also necessary to pay attention to moles in which such metamorphoses have begun to occur and remove them in a timely manner. According to statistics, every second melanoma is a degenerated mole. Remember that prevention is easier than cure.

Topless sunbathing is dangerous

Should be given Special attention the predilection of many girls to sunbathe topless. Mammologists categorically prohibit women “without a top” from sunbathing, especially if they have such a common disease as mastopathy or if there is a hereditary predisposition to it. Warming is dangerous because it stimulates cells to uncontrolled division, leading to the appearance of a malignant tumor in the mammary gland.

Women are very worried about losing it, but they don’t think about how destructive tanning is for the delicate skin of the breasts - it becomes flabby, thinner, becomes prone to the appearance of stretch marks, stretches and sag. Nipple covers used in tanning salons are not effective - they only protect the nipple from ultraviolet rays, while the entire mammary gland needs protection from radiation, and they do not protect from overheating at all. Therefore, you should not neglect your swimsuit even in the solarium.

Harm from ultraviolet radiation to the eyes

Another organ on which ultraviolet radiation has a damaging effect is the eye. Long-term ultraviolet exposure damages eye tissue:

Photokeratitis - a feeling of speck in the eye, the appearance of a dark spot, blurred vision, pain;

Solar retinopathy - retinal tear, decreased visual acuity;

Early cataract - due to clouding of the lens, objects begin to blur, double, vision deteriorates to the point of blindness.

The only way to protect your eyes from the ubiquitous ultraviolet radiation is to purchase sunglasses from an optician whose glasses contain a special chemical additive that does not allow the sun's rays to pass through. 100% eye protection from the sun is provided by glasses marked UV-400.

Take care of yourself and remember - no amount of money can buy health!

Based on skin type, all people are divided into five categories. The first type is albinos, whose skin is very light. Tanning is contraindicated for people with this skin type - the sun's rays can only cause them to burn. The second is light-skinned blonds. They can achieve subtle darkening of the skin if they can time their sun exposure minute by minute. But more often than not, their attempts to tan result in a bright red coloration. The third type are people with dark skin And dark color hair. They tan quickly and easily and can afford to soak up the sun without harm to their health, provided there are no contraindications and recommendations are followed. The fourth and fifth are mulattoes and representatives of the Negroid race, respectively. As you might guess, ultraviolet irradiation cannot harm them. Skin of this type is reliably protected from sunlight by nature itself. But even those who tan easily need to remember: ultraviolet radiation can cause irreparable harm the health of a person with any skin type, if this person has the prerequisites for this. Many hours sunbathing can cause serious burns and sunstroke - but these are not the most dire consequences excessive tanning. A much more serious and irreversible effect from ultraviolet radiation can occur after some time, sometimes after years. Dermatologists increasingly have to deal with the so-called delayed consequences of excessive exposure to direct sunlight. This malignant formations and pronounced pigment spots, early wrinkles, disorders of the thyroid gland, etc. To rid yourself of all these troubles, as well as to avoid banal sunstroke and burns, you need to follow a number of simple rules.

First, choose the right time for tanning: best time for tanning - times of low solar activity: from 6.00 to 10.00 and from 17.00 to 19.00. You can (but moderately!) sunbathe during average solar activity: from 10.00 to 12.00, from 16.00 to 17.00. It is strictly not recommended to sunbathe during strong solar activity: from 12.00 to 16.00.

Secondly, you should not spend more than 40-50 minutes a day in the open sun. The duration of the first sunbathing should not exceed 15-20 minutes. Gradually increasing the sessions, you can bring them up to 30-40 minutes over 7-10 days - longer tanning is harmful to health.

Thirdly, to avoid skin aging, you need to use sunscreens and lotions. Protect skin from sunburn, age spots, premature wrinkles and dryness are helped by products with UV protection of at least 15 - 20 units. They should be applied to exposed parts of the body at least 20 minutes before going outside.

Fourthly, it is better for children and people over 50 to reduce their exposure to the sun to a minimum.

Fifthly, do not forget about hats to avoid sunstroke. If overheating does occur, sunstroke which is accompanied by headache, tinnitus, nausea, increased heart rate, in severe cases loss of consciousness is possible. Elderly people and children especially suffer. Of course, such people should be given first aid immediately. Move the victim to the shade, free him from restrictive clothing, and place a damp towel on his head. cold water, give cool water to drink. If the condition does not improve, call an ambulance.

What to do if you overdo it and still get sunburned? Experts recommend: at the first sign of a burn, you need to take aspirin or another pain reliever and anti-inflammatory drug - ibuprofen, analgin, naproxen. At the very beginning, you can try to “freeze” the burn with cool compresses or rubbing with kefir, sour cream, or yogurt. Refreshing alcohol-based lotions will also reduce the inflammatory reaction. But when the skin begins to peel and blister, folk remedies It’s better to refuse - you can get an infection with them. It is better to purchase antiallergic gels and antihistamine-based ointments at the pharmacy. There are few drugs suitable for treating sunburn specifically: fenistil, soventol, bamirin-ratiopharm.

Cosmetologists give special tips women who cannot do without makeup even on the beach. Shadows, eyeliners, liquid lipsticks It’s better to put it aside - in the sun they melt and “float”. Concealer It’s better to replace it with a leveling one compact powder with UV filters. It removes the effect of oiliness, adapts to the skin texture and at the same time mattifies, evens out and hides imperfections. At the time of buying foundation It’s better to choose one that contains a complex of AHA acids - they prevent the appearance of pimples and inflammation on the skin, especially on oily skin. In order not to suffer with mascara, which every now and then smears and runs on the beach, you can dye your eyelashes in a beauty salon. The paint lasts a month, removing all problems: no need to touch up, wash off or correct eye makeup during the day.

But even the most competent approach to solar procedures will not save you from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays if a person exposes himself to their radiation, unaware of his hidden ailments. Therefore, before traveling to the south, it is extremely important to visit a doctor and undergo at least a minimal examination: general analysis blood, check the health of the eyes, cardiovascular and reproductive systems and consult a dermatologist. By the way, he will tell you which tanning products to choose and with what degree of protection.

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Some consider a tan to be an indispensable attribute of a person’s well-groomed appearance, since dark skin does not show its imperfections, and the body appears slimmer.

In itself, exposure to the sun is necessary for the human body: thanks to its rays, vitamin D is formed, which is involved in the formation of the skeletal system of children and prevents the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in adults. In addition, exposure to ultraviolet radiation produces serotonin, a hormone whose deficiency leads to clinical depression.

However, medicine says that the sun's rays are not always beneficial and, if tanned incorrectly, can cause serious harm. Not everyone thinks about how to properly tan in the sun.

Consequences of improper tanning

It is unlikely that you will be able to stay in the solarium for a long time: the duration of your stay in the cabin is strictly regulated. But many vacationers prefer to spend the whole day on the beach. What might a person who has been exposed to scorching rays for a long time encounter?

1. Sunstroke, overheating. Manifested by high fever, nausea, vomiting, severe headaches.
2. Photoaging of the skin. During each period of prolonged sunbathing, the upper epidermis thickens by about half a millimeter. After such repeated exposure, the skin becomes dry, rough, dehydrated, and deep wrinkles and age spots.
3. Burns. They are especially easy to obtain for those who have been in areas with a temperate or subarctic climate all year and decided to get a tan in two weeks. Being near water only contributes to their occurrence, since drops on the skin act like optical lenses. Every burn increases your risk of developing cancer diseases(so-called thermal oncogenesis).

Great chance development of melanoma ( malignant neoplasm skin). It has been established that, penetrating into the upper layers of the epidermis, ultraviolet rays change the structure of DNA and cause mutations in cells. The latter begin to divide and form tumor cells.

In fact, the appearance of a dark color on the skin during sunbathing is a protective reaction to exposure to radiation. Pigment cells intensively produce melanin, which absorbs rays and neutralizes their effect. In this process, a tan appears.

The longer and more often such exposure occurs, the stronger body is in shock. In people with fair skin melanin production is reduced, so they are most susceptible negative influence solar radiation and rarely can get a beautiful, even tan, burning in the first twenty minutes.

There are several types of sun rays that affect the skin differently. Thus, UVB rays are short rays and cause burns and allergies. UVA rays (UVA, also known as ultraviolet) are long, penetrating, and are responsible for skin aging, age spots and cancer. There are also UVC rays, but they are destroyed when they pass through the ozone layer.

Who is contraindicated for tanning?

There are several categories of people who should not sunbathe in direct sunlight at all.

Pregnant and lactating women, patients with cardiovascular diseases, migraines, tuberculosis, taking antibiotics, antidepressants and hormonal drugs. Before going to the sea, such people are recommended to undergo examination by a doctor and get his advice.

Correct tan

Arriving on vacation, it is difficult to resist the temptation to undress and immediately fall onto the sunbed. After winter, the skin has become unaccustomed to ultraviolet radiation, and being in the sun for a long time will be a shock for it.

• It is best to be in the shade in the first days to avoid getting sunburned.

It is worth going out into direct rays for 7–10 minutes, lengthening your stay every day.

• The maximum duration of exposure to the rays should not exceed two hours. In addition, the body should be opened gradually, starting with the hands.

One way to prepare your skin for the sun is to first visit the solarium at home. Ten-minute sessions twice a week will be enough for this. This will develop protection against ultraviolet rays by activating melanin.

Most people know Golden Rule exposure to the sun: stick to the period when the rays are least aggressive, that is, in the morning before 11 a.m. and in the afternoon after 4 p.m. But few people follow it, especially when they want to get dark shade in short time.

In the midday sun, the risk of heat stroke and burns is very high. Instead of beautiful even tan the person ends up with skin peeling off in shreds and overall poor health.

In addition to the skin, when tanning, it is also necessary to protect the eyes, since ultraviolet rays penetrate through closed eyelids, which can lead to decreased vision and the appearance of cataracts. If a person wears contact lenses, they dry out. It leads to unpleasant sensations and even inflammatory processes. Therefore, you need to additionally cover your eyes on the beach - with glasses or a cloth.

Choosing a sunscreen

Proper tanning requires the mandatory use of special protective equipment. Some people don’t use them because they want to get the desired skin tone as quickly as possible. But it will appear in any case, it will only appear gradually.

The degree of protection of all special creams and lotions varies from 3 to 50. The “SPF” icon on the tube means safe exposure to the sun, and it is equal to ten minutes. The number next to the abbreviation indicates how many times you can be under the rays for ten minutes. Accordingly, a cream with an index of 3 can protect a person for 30 minutes, and with an index of 50 - 500. The “UVA” mark indicates that the cream protects not only from burns, but also from ultraviolet radiation.

Those who buy sunscreen cosmetics may see the abbreviation “PPD” on the packaging. This is a useful indication that the delayed effects of UVA exposure have been studied. The index next to the letters will indicate how many times the radiation dose decreased after a few hours, thanks to this cream. Thus, the PPD 15 badge will tell you that 15 times less energy from the sun’s rays penetrates the skin. Note that all sun protection creams have this feature, but some are simply tested and provide additional information.

In order to understand what level of protection to choose for yourself, you need to determine your skin type. Light-skinned people with blue eyes They can get burns even if they haven’t spent much time in the sun, so protection for them should be high. Accordingly, the darker they are, the lower the degree of protection may be. People belonging to the Negroid race can use a minimum SPF value.

In addition, there are other rules for choosing a cream:

• a product with maximum protection is applied to the face;
• children need to use SPF 50;
• in the first days of sunbathing, the degree of protection should be high, it can be gradually reduced as the tan appears;
• If you plan to swim, be sure to choose a waterproof cream, as it will not wash off.

The selected sunscreen will help you sunbathe properly anywhere: in Turkey and other hot countries, by the river or just in your summer cottage.

How to get a beautiful tan

In order for your tan to go on evenly, you need to follow a few simple rules.

To get and maintain a tan, nutritionists advise eating right while on vacation. Products such as apricots and peaches, melon, tomatoes, spinach, citrus fruits, red meat, liver, and most importantly carrots contribute to the appearance of a uniform shade. Before going to the beach, it is recommended to drink a glass of freshly squeezed carrot juice with cream, a spoonful of sour cream or vegetable oil(beta-carotene is absorbed better in the presence of fats).

The length of time a tan lasts depends on where it was obtained: at the sea, by the river or at a dacha in the village. The one that will last the longest is the one that was obtained in the sunbather’s permanent residence. It is believed that this is due to the fact that the skin, which is not accustomed to the hot rays of the southern sun, will try to recover faster.

While resting, you need to remember that proper tan in the sun - it's safe tan. It is much more pleasant to enjoy it when it does not bring health problems with it.

It is not possible for us to predict how our word will respond. Sometimes you write an article, and the reaction to it is somewhat discouraging. If you say why not wear dresses, they will answer that no, it’s impossible, they are difficult to wash! This potential argument had never occurred to me... Or you might present some basic Keynesian economics to relieve people of the guilt of making small purchases of unnecessary things, only to find out that you're calling for your entire salary to be spent on helping Cambodia. Here it is: well, the compelling argument “there will be white stripes from the ties on your neck and then you can walk around with them all year!” never occurred to me!

Consequences of tanning

Some may think that in order for traces to remain whole year, you need to tan yourself black. Nothing like that, you can sunbathe moderately, until you have a “golden hue”, and at first it may seem that the tan is quickly washed off. A year is washed away, two, ten. And on the eleventh he stops running away, now he is with you forever. However, not in the form of a golden hue, but in the form of old, worn, red skin. Wrinkled, uneven, saggy. And many more epithets.

This is already very bad

Summer is just around the corner, I look at women in sundresses and T-shirts and it is clear from many of them that they have been wearing sundresses and T-shirts for several years, and not only in the city. This is primarily visible in the décolleté area. This is where the signs of photoaging appear earliest. First there is a slight redness, uneven, as in the left photo. Don’t think that this is “nothing yet” - that’s it, irreparable harm has already been done. Then the skin will look like this: see right photo. Even further it will be covered with deep furrows. And all this very, very quickly, within a few years.

What will the signs of abuse look like?

• In the form of small burst capillaries: red dots and spider wreaths on the nose and cheeks.
• In the form of leatherly skin: like leather for making bags and shoes - rough and thick.
• As purse-string wrinkles around the mouth. No, they are not from smoking, they are from a lack of collagen in the skin, and collagen production was killed by the sun.
• In the form of age spots, freckles, melasma.
• In the form of loss of tone and sagging skin.

Consequences of tanning: burst capillaries, rough skin, purse string wrinkles

It is now believed that almost All age-related changes skin associated with ultraviolet radiation. If it weren’t for the sun, the person would be lying in a coffin, decrepit, but looking like new! And again, the coffin can come much earlier if you overuse tanning, but that’s not the point now.

Hide from the sun!

There is no need to sunbathe on purpose, it’s even strange to talk about it. Have pity on yourself. I'm not advocating going out in the sun wearing only a burkini, but are there any measures that can be taken? For example, use Sanskrin, which must be mineral (physical) and protect against both UVA and UVB. Always: summer and winter. Protect your body from the scorching sun. Cover with clothes and better walls: do not go out at the most sundial. This applies not only to visits to Africa, but also to the usual bright city sun. In just ten years, the difference between those who do and those who don't will be obvious.

Look at the Australians and South Africans. The people of countries where white, northern people ended up by accident. In London there are a lot of white people who came from former colonies: New Zealand, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania - you can see them from afar by the number of wrinkles already at 30 years old. A white man, living in Europe, God forbid, not everyone achieved such a number of wrinkles by the age of 60. But this was before universal accessible recreation in hot countries and the invention of solariums. Now the distance has been significantly reduced.

The damage already done can be reduced slightly. Using lasers, light or retinoids.

• Lasers. They pull out and destroy the pigment. Fraxel Dual is most often done at wavelength 1727.
• Light. BBL (BroadBand Light) is a new version IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) successfully reduces many, but not all, signs of photoaging. By the way, IPL, which is advertised everywhere, is a) NOT a laser, b) DOES NOT work. Neither with pigment nor with body hair. And it won’t help with the consequences of tanning either.
• Retinoids. Vitamin A derivatives, which are here many times

Text: Karina Sembe

With the arrival of summer, instead of hopelessly cloudy we finally get plenty of sun - and enter into a very different relationships: someone is regularly hiding from him, and someone is trying their best to get a tan. Many of those who do not belong to either camp, but feel that not everything is so simple, have long wanted to understand once and for all which of the two extremes is more common sense. To make the sun a joy this summer, we offer an educational program: let’s understand how solar radiation affects appearance and skin health, what are the vicissitudes of a solarium and what to look for when choosing products solar protection.

Why is it considered
that sunbathing is beneficial

Many tanning fans take sunbathing not only for the sake of... golden color skin. Society has firmly established the opinion that sunbathing is extremely useful and, moreover, necessary - in particular for the production of vitamin D in the skin. This vitamin has a lot of merits, for example, it is believed that it works “against” depression, namely, it is involved in regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase, an enzyme necessary for the production of dopamine (the so-called happiness hormone), as well as adrenaline and norepinephrine.

Accordingly, many scientists have long associated seasonal affective disorder (also known as seasonal depression) with a lack of vitamin D. And two years ago, researchers from Singapore discovered the effect of vitamin D levels in a woman's body on the treatment of candidiasis, or thrush, an infection caused by yeast-like fungi. One of important functions vitamin D - stimulation of the production of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin, which helps us cope with inflammation.

Vital important vitamin D is indeed synthesized in human skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays, but for this it is not at all necessary to lie in the sun for hours or buy an annual subscription to a solarium. If you live in a region where there are no noticeable interruptions in the sun, rest assured: your skin will receive required dose ultraviolet rays during simple walks in sunny days. For most people with fair skin, spending 10-15 minutes in the sun three times a week is enough to maintain adequate vitamin D production.

In northern latitudes this is not always possible even in the summer, not to mention the autumn-winter season. So people living in these regions, and especially those whose skin is dark or dark, will benefit from slightly longer contact with the sun's rays on those days when they do break through the clouds - of course, subject to the use of protective equipment from the sun (more on them later). One way or another, too much sun exposure has a negative impact on all skin types.

How do different types of solar radiation work?

The sun produces three types of radiation: the visible spectrum - what we call sunlight - as well as ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR). Infrared radiation mainly causes a thermal effect - simply put, it warms us. In turn, ultraviolet is responsible for the photochemical effect: it is from this that we get a tan, so it is worth understanding the specifics of UV radiation in more detail.

UV radiation (in the international version UV - ultraviolet) is divided into three spectra depending on the wavelength, and each spectrum has its own characteristics of impact on the human body. Spectrum C has a wavelength from 100 to 280 nm. These rays practically do not reach the surface of the Earth, being absorbed by the ozone layer of the atmosphere - and this is good, because this is the most active range: when penetrating through the skin, spectrum C rays can cause a destructive effect on the body's cells.

We often associate golden skin tone with good health; in the beauty industry this is called glowing skin

Spectrum B, with a wavelength of 280–320 nm, accounts for about 20% of all UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. It is to UVB rays that we owe redness on the skin after careless rest under the scorching sun. Spectrum B has a mutagenic effect - it actively affects cellular DNA and causes various disturbances in its structure - from the rupture of nitrogen base pairs with the subsequent formation of “incorrect” cross-links to cross-linking of DNA with a protein, the synthesis of which is activated under the influence of UV, disruptions in cell division and denaturation DNA. During cell division, such changes are “inherited” by daughter cells, remain with us and can lead to systemic mutations at the genome level.

Spectrum A, whose wavelength is 320–400 nm, accounts for almost 80% of all ultraviolet radiation that reaches human skin. Due to their long wavelength, spectrum A (UFA) rays have approximately 1000 times less energy than spectrum B, so they hardly cause sunburn. They contribute to a much lesser extent to the production of biologically active substances that can affect DNA, but these rays penetrate deeper than UVB, and the substances they produce (for example, reactive oxygen species) remain in the skin much longer.

What is tanning

If nanometers and nucleotides don't impress you, then the chemical background visible changes problems that occur to the skin due to tanning will certainly make you think. The skin is the protective shell of our body, and when faced with ultraviolet radiation, it does its best to create an effective barrier. In this sense, much depends on the upper layer of the epidermis - the stratum corneum. Living cells, keratinocytes, which are produced in the lower layers of the epidermis, are eventually pushed to the surface, harden and die, and the keratin in the dead scales protects us from heat and cold.

The epidermis also contains special cells called melanocytes; they produce the dark pigment melanin, which to a certain extent protects the skin from burning. That same bronze skin tone for which desperate vacationers lie under the scorching sun for days on end is precisely the reaction of melanin skin in response to its damage by UV rays. It becomes keratinized, becomes drier and darker. Formidable associations can be traced in the language itself: the meaning of the word “tan” in English (tan) is rooted in the processes of tanning animal skins for the production of various products.

Is it true that tan
“aging” the skin?

The natural “tanning” of our skin under the influence of the sun does not pass without consequences. We often associate golden skin tone with good health, in the beauty industry this is called glowing skin. At the same time, we forget that tanning - acquired both naturally and in a solarium - aggravates the effect of aging. The lion's share of the signs that are considered an integral part of skin aging are actually caused by exposure to the sun without proper protection.

Behind premature aging The skin, or so-called photoaging, responds primarily to ultraviolet A radiation. Over time, UV rays damage elastin fibers, and as they break down, the skin begins to stretch and sag, becomes more susceptible to swelling and microtrauma, and heals more slowly. Sunlight also affects freckles and so-called age-related pigmentation: It can not only make age spots darker, but also provoke the production of melanin, resulting in the formation of new spots - even if they were previously removed with a cream or laser.

While we are young and careless, the effect of the sun on the condition of the skin may go unnoticed, but over the years all the consequences are literally obvious (and not only). In addition, the older we get, the lower the skin’s ability to regenerate and the weaker its protection from harmful influence ultraviolet radiation.

Can sunbathing cause cancer?

So, the cumulative effect of UV radiation provokes the uncontrolled growth of atypical skin cells. This can lead to the development of tumors - both benign and malignant (cancerous) - basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. The name comes from the basal cells that underlie the outer layer of skin. Basal cancer cells grow slowly and usually do not spread to other tissues in the body. The main cause of their occurrence is recognized to be exposure to ultraviolet radiation, especially in childhood. The fact is that errors in the structure of cellular DNA accumulated since childhood disrupt and deplete the sun protection function of the skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer in adulthood. Both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which develop from squamous epithelial cells, most often occur in areas of the skin most often exposed to sunlight—primarily the head, neck, and arms. Besides genetic predisposition, a risk factor is light skin.

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays and, accordingly, increased production of melanin can lead to the formation of moles - accumulations of melanocytes. Most moles appear during puberty and may disappear throughout life. But under the influence external factors, including ultraviolet radiation, a pigmented mole (nevus) can develop into melanoma - one of the most dangerous malignant tumors.

Undoubtedly, big role hereditary predisposition plays a role mechanical impact to a mole and much more, but note that great risk People with fair skin, prone to sunburn, who spend a long time in the open sun or in a solarium, without taking care of protective equipment, are susceptible to melanoma. According to statistics, 8 out of 10 cases of melanoma in the UK could be prevented if patients controlled their exposure to the sun, avoided sunburn and did not overuse tanning beds.

Doctors do not recommend prophylactic removal of nevi, since in most cases the degeneration of a mole into melanoma does not occur. However, if nature has blessed you with an abundance of moles, you should independently monitor the condition of your skin and undergo regular examination by a dermatologist.

Which is safer:
sun or solarium

Not everyone is ready to wait until summer to tan - solarium sessions have gathered an army of fans. You can often hear from unqualified cosmetologists that a few minutes in a solarium are equivalent to several hours spent on the beach. Let us immediately dispel the utter myth about the safety of this procedure compared to the effect of direct sunlight: when tanning in a solarium, a person’s skin receives the same radiation as when tanning in the open sun, which means there is no fundamental difference between a 10-minute session in a solarium and 10 - a minute tan under the scorching sun.

There is also an opinion that tanning in a solarium is an effective method of treating acne and many other skin diseases. Actually this is not true. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, skin cells become keratinized; dead keratinocytes clog the outflows of the sebaceous glands of the skin and can only intensify acne. The effectiveness of ultraviolet rays of the spectrum A and B has been proven only in cases of treatment of certain forms of psoriasis, while phototherapy does not eliminate the risk of the formation of cancerous tumors.

The World Health Organization recommends against tanning
in a solarium for cosmetic purposes

Europe is full of elderly people who are deeply tanned. brown tint. The reason is not banal love for sunbathing: Many residents of Western European countries visit the solarium, hoping to strengthen their bones: fans of “artificial” tanning are in an eternal pursuit of the notorious vitamin D, which ensures the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from food in the small intestine. As a rule, such hypochondriac enthusiasts self-prescribe solariums, but sometimes doctors prescribe the procedure, which makes one seriously doubt their qualifications.

We repeat: the skin can cope with the synthesis of vitamin D even without regular frying in the sun or in a solarium. Such aggressive exposure to UV rays has an adverse effect on the skin, causing it to early aging, the appearance of microcracks and wrinkles. According to the latest research and recommendations World Organization Health care, tanning in a solarium should not be used for cosmetic purposes.

Before a tanning session in the salon, clients are told that the intensity of irradiation can be adjusted according to their skin type. There are pitfalls here too. The fact is that people with very fair skin, which quickly burns in the sun, have increased risk development of cancer, and the absence of burns on the skin as a result of tanning in a solarium can create a false impression that the skin is much more resistant to radiation than it actually is, and the risk of complications is very small.

Why do we tolerate the sun differently?

Each of us in varying degrees protected from the harmful effects of sunlight. People with dark skin have stronger protection, and red or blonde people with pale skin and blue eyes are more susceptible to sun attack due to the lower concentration of photoreceptive (light-receiving) melanin in the skin.

It is believed that skin comes in different phototypes and this characterizes its sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. Some modern doctors, when determining the phototype, use Fitzpatrick's 1975 classification, within which the American dermatologist identified six main types of skin - from Celtic to African-American. If representatives of the first (Celtic) and second (Nordic) phototypes quickly burn in the sun, then the owners of the fifth (Middle Eastern or Indonesian) and sixth (African American) skin types - dark or dark - according to Fitzpatrick, never burn under the influence of sunlight and practically do not need to use sunscreen.

Such racial determination is somewhat outdated and does not always correspond to the real state of affairs. Firstly, it is quite obvious that everyone gets sunburned in the sun - ask any carrier of the “Indonesian” phototype: it is just a matter of time and the degree of carelessness of the sunbather. Secondly, in representatives of mixed races, the skin behaves specifically, taking “all the best at once” from a variety of phototypes, and, as is known, there can be an infinite number of ethnic combinations. So, promising mulatto patients 100% sun resistance and not prescribing the proper means of protection is an indicator of medical negligence. It doesn’t hurt to focus on a conventional phototype when choosing SPF products, but we note that it is recommended for absolutely everyone to use them, regardless of the so-called phototype - at least to prevent photoaging of the skin.

What is SPF and how to choose a protection product

So, we found out that sun protection is necessary for everyone, albeit to varying degrees. Gloss has long been trumpeting that you shouldn’t go outside without applying SPF to exposed skin, but when it comes to choosing a specific product, it’s hard not to get confused. What do all these numbers mean, what consistency to choose, how to find a cream that does not form a white layer on the face and body, is it worth buying? decorative cosmetics With the solar protection factor, a lot of questions arise.

SPF (sun protection factor) is the main marker that you need to pay attention to when choosing a means of protection against UV rays. SPF is calculated using a formula in laboratories; the calculations assume that the product will be used in an amount of 2 mg per 1 cm² of skin surface, which means that for reliable protection it must be applied in a fairly dense layer. Many people believe that the SPF value allows you to calculate the time of safe exposure to the sun, but this is not entirely true. The term SPF indicates how much UV radiation you can get without risking burns with a given sunscreen. The SPF index does not characterize time, but rather the increase in skin resistance to burns. SPF 50 means you can withstand 50 times more ultraviolet radiation than without it. Note that dermatologists recommend renewing the protection every two hours, not neglecting it even on cloudy days, and also applying a new layer of product after contact with water or sand.

Dermatologists recommend renewing protection every two hours and not neglecting
even on cloudy days

When choosing a sunscreen based on SPF, you should take into account not only the so-called skin phototype (as we have already found out, this is a rather arbitrary guideline), but also the degree of its thinness, elasticity and sensitivity. Your location is also important: the closer to the equator you are, the higher the solar activity and, therefore, the higher the risk of getting a sunburn. We recommend choosing creams, sprays and decorative cosmetics with broad spectrum protection - they block radiation from spectrums A and B. By protecting yourself from spectrum A rays, you sacrifice tanning to a certain extent, but ensure skin health. The optimal ratio is considered to be a 3:1 ratio of UVB to UVA filters.

Sunscreens are made from two types of ingredients: either absorbing organic filters or screens - inorganic solid particles that reflect UV rays (usually titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or a combination of both). Filters penetrate the skin and transform solar energy to thermal. Unlike filters, screens remain on the surface of the skin.

Some filters, such as oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, are considered dangerous and carcinogenic and should be avoided. By the way, Environmental Working Group, American non-profit organization, which conducts research in the field of toxic substances and corporate responsibility, does not recognize any active ingredient in sunscreens as 100% safe, but still strongly recommends their use and even offers its top list of relatively safe products.

If your skin is sensitive, prone to acne, hyperpigmentation, or has any other characteristics, when choosing sun protection, do not neglect consulting a dermatologist: your doctor will help you choose a non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic product or a special product designed to more effectively prevent the formation of age spots. In any case, do not be lazy to use basic sun protection - it is as natural a health concern as regular hand washing. And more about how to choose sunscreens for different purposes and budgets, we will tell you later.