The sun. It comes out and instantly lifts your spirits. But it can be treacherous, as our skin knows all too well. How can you protect your skin? By avoiding these 3 mistakes that most Polish women make.
In the spring, not only do we fall in love most easily (as 85 percent of respondents told one dating website), but we also feel better. This is thanks to the sun’s rays, which boost our energy and also have healing properties. Research on these rays was awarded the Nobel Prize a century ago, and today, heliotherapy is successfully used to treat certain forms of seasonal depression. Above all, however, we owe the synthesis of vitamin D—which is crucial for us—to UV rays.
All of this means that as soon as the first warm days of spring arrive, most of us—craving light—turn our faces toward the sun.
The days of mild weather are over: global warming has brought harsher conditions. The gentle spring light of the past has been replaced by sunlight that is often as intense as in summer. This has its advantages: it helps boost our immunity faster. Vitamin D, synthesized in the intense spring sun, more effectively strengthens the immune system, which protects us from diseases. Not just infections. Recent studies on the pandemic have shown, for example, that high levels of vitamin D reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. And if infection does occur, the course of COVID-19 is significantly milder. The same correlation is observed in the case of cancer, as well as depression and osteoporosis. The incidence of these conditions and their progression are almost always correlated with vitamin D levels.
But, but. That doesn’t mean we should be happily soaking up every ray of sunshine right now. Even the sun has its downsides: in large doses, UV radiation is simply dangerous for the skin. Yes, yes: even in the spring.
The list of the sun’s harmful effects is long: it can trigger photodermatoses and pigmentary disorders (such as spots or vitiligo), cause photoimmunosuppression—manifesting, for example, as cold sores—or lead to photosensitivity. It also contributes to the development of skin cancer. Someone might say: well, yes, but these conditions don’t affect everyone. True. However, there is one change that the sun inflicts on everyone equally: accelerated skin aging. Its effects aren’t immediately visible, but they inevitably appear. This happens because UV rays damage epidermal cells and disrupt the synthesis of collagen and elastin. The skin becomes rough and uneven, turns gray, loses its firmness, and begins to wrinkle. It is estimated that even after just one sunny season without protection, we can look 10 years older! This is most evident when comparing the bodies of women from different cultures: those who have hidden under burqas for years and those who freely enjoy sunbathing. The difference is enormous.
Interestingly, awareness of the sun’s effects on the skin is quite high in Poland. Despite this, most of us, even if we use sunscreen, opt for a low SPF—10 or 20. This is too low to adequately protect the skin from UV radiation, explains Angelika Sochacz, a cosmetologist for the Phenomé brand. Noticeable protection starts with SPF 30, though we should use SPF 30 only during less sunny months, in the fall and winter. From the first days of spring through fall, it is recommended to use SPF 50 sunscreen.
To truly protect our skin from damage, we need to apply sunscreen every day. It’s best to apply it in the morning and reapply it throughout the day. Unfortunately, few of us apply enough sunscreen to actually provide our skin with the recommended level of photoprotection, according to Angelika Sochacz. How much sunscreen should we apply? According to the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) of the European Commission, the appropriate amount is 2 mg per square centimeter of skin. Assuming that the face averages 565 cm², that comes out to 1.13 g of product. That’s about half a teaspoon or a 10-centimeter-long strip of cream squeezed from a tube. The amount given is, of course, an estimate—it depends on the consistency of the product and the type of UV filters it contains. Chemical filters (those that penetrate the skin along with the cream) have a different consistency than physical, or mineral, filters (which are heavier) and whose job is to reflect light. The choice of protection is a personal matter; the key factor is its SPF value, which should be as high as possible. It is meant to protect us during a walk, but also when we are indoors. This is because we are harmed not only by outdoor light, but also by the light reaching us through glass (UVA, UVB), and even by the light emitted by electrical devices—lamps and computer monitors (IR, HEV). As we have recently learned, these too have a damaging effect on skin cells.
But if we start using sun protection—and do so as recommended by experts—won’t we be inhibiting vitamin D production? Until recently, the conventional wisdom was: it’s your choice—either strong bones and immunity, or a face free of sunspots. However, new research shows that vitamin D is produced even when using sunscreen. The most vitamin D is produced when the cream blocks UVA rays but allows UVB rays to pass through. But even if the cream completely blocked UVB rays (which play the main role in vitamin D synthesis), the skin would still be able to produce it. In practice, it’s impossible to completely protect yourself from the sun. Few people apply sunscreen to their entire body and reapply it every 2–3 hours, paying special attention to areas where the filters wear off the fastest (e.g., the hands or nose). And for vitamin D to be produced on warm days, just fifteen minutes during peak sunlight hours is enough. Granted, that’s not enough to build up vitamin reserves, but they can’t be stored for longer than three months anyway. Supplementation is recommended for everyone in our latitude from fall through spring.
Interestingly, vitamin D synthesis occurs most rapidly in people with fair, untanned skin—that is, those who use sunscreen. People with dark skin or sun-tanned skin have much more difficulty synthesizing vitamin D.
So…
It’s a good idea to start using SPF 50 sunscreen as soon as the first rays of sunlight appear. They don’t block vitamin D production and are the best anti-aging prevention. Don’t worry that using sunscreen will leave you pale when you return from vacation, as if you hadn’t gone anywhere. Even a high SPF won’t prevent your skin from developing a golden tan—the most desirable skin tone—since the wind and air will still help you tan. And sunscreen costs pennies compared to the treatments we’ll undergo in the fall to repair the damage caused by not using it.
