skincare

skincare

Dr. Vijayshree Prakash (KT Reader)

If you are fair or you have children less than 15 years of age, if you spend most of your time outdoors – please read on.

Even if you are NOT fair – this is certainly going to help you.

You have been tackling your everyday jobs well, going through the hustle and bustle of life but ARE YOU SAVING YOUR SKIN this summer??  Literally speaking  dear ones!

The sun is high on the horizon – shooting the ultraviolet rays – are you well armed?

This sun, the yellow ball of energy, sustainer of life on this earth is vital for survival – so are the sunscreens – especially in summers in UAE. Along with the visible sunlight the ultraviolet(UV) rays – the invisible rays are also in abundance in this season. Having wavelengths lesser than the visible blue/violet rays, three types ( UV A,B,C)of rays are potentially harmful for us.

The ozone layer acts as a shield and stops the most dangerous, energetic UV –C rays from  reaching the earth. Some of the UV- B are filtered as well, but most of the UVB and UVA rays gush forth to leave their mark – on the skin, the eyes and the immune system.

The UVB rays affect the superficial layers of the skin to cause redness, swelling, pain occasionally blistering – what is commonly called sunburn. They produce a skin tan, even after 48 hours of exposure!

The UVA rays act upto the deepest layers of the skin ,acts on the collagen as well and along with a tan, it leads to ‘photoaging’ which means a dull wrinkled skin.

Both the rays have a potential to cause skin cancer and various skin conditions. These rays also act on the eyes causing growth of the conjunctival tissues (pterygium),inflammation of the conjunctiva (photo conjunctivitis) and cataract. The immune system too, is not spared – these mischief makers can weaken it by their action on the function and distribution of the disease fighting cells of our body.

So do we keep this UV RAY at bay?

The first step is to know your enemy.

These rays are most abundant when the sun is directly overhead, about three hours before and after noon. The presence of clouds does not offer much protection. Moreover, the sand, the water reflect these rays back.

The UV Index can be a useful guide to choose your sun-safety tools. This index tells how strong the UV rays are in a particular place at a particular time. Ranging from 0-15 and color coding from green to violet, this can be found in weather reports. According to these reports there is a very high risk of damage from unprotected exposure to the sun in summers in Middle East .UAE stands out RED with an index of 10!

Best is to avoid direct exposure during peak sunshine hours – 10 am to 4 pm. If not; at least lets be sun-smart.

Coming to the sun safety tools – the first and the foremost are the physical barriers – loose, thick woven clothes to cover arms and legs.

Some garments also have the Ultraviolet Protection Factors (UPF) labels – the higher, the better. But one has to be sun wise and apply sunscreens anyways.

For the eyes:UV protective glasses even if you use contact lenses( as the contact lenses leave the conjunctiva exposed) are important. A wide brimmed hat to shade the ears, eyes and neck area is another must have.

There is a variety of sunscreens lotions, creams ointments to choose from – SPF 15 and above available in the markets. Cosmetics also have the sun protective ingredients. SPF takes into account only the protection from UVB rays so chose the one which says “broad spectrum” or the one that shows the star rating along with SPF. This indicates that the product is effective for the UVA rays as well.

If you are in the habit of sloping on the sunscreen just before stepping out and that’s it- it’s time to change! The magic of the sunscreen is on only if used 15 – 30 minutes before exposure and repeated every 2 hours if exposure to the sun continues. Once armed with the necessary dose of about one oz for the body i.e. roughly ¼ teaspoon for the face and so on, check for the holes in this amour – the earlobes, back of the  neck, the FEET. These are commonly forgotten areas.Activities such as swimming, sweating and rubbing wear off even the water resistant sunscreens; apply again after a swim/ bath.

Sunscreen lotions are generally not recommended for babies under six months – its best to keep them in shade with proper clothing.

Children under 15 years have a very delicate skin and are vulnerable to the UV attack. They would be better off if they are made aware of the sun safety habits early on.

There are certain tell-tale signs that reveal   over – exposure: The area under the sleeves whiter than the rest of the arm, the area of the feet under the sandal straps whiter than the rest. If this is noticed, it means the body is trying to ward off the evils of the UVs by producing more melanin. It is hence advisable to re asses the style of sun – protection / sun exposure and nip the peril in the bud.

And if you have less fair a complexion (like I do ) don’t live a myth that UVs cant ham you – you won’t even know when UVs will get “under your skin “!As the Australians say , start the “Slip – slop – slap” Slip on the shirt, slop on the sunscreen and slap on the hat, NOW!

Dr. Vijayshree Prakash is an experienced healthcare specialist based in Dubai.

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