Sunburn is an external manifestation of the organism’s struggle with the harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation, which causes an increased isolation of the pigment called melanin. Melanin absorbs most of the radiation without damaging the skin cells.
However, natural protection suffices quite a bit – no more than half an hour at best. How to reduce the risk from the harmful effects of ultraviolet and get a good tan with this, the correspondent of SE recognized.
Today, a natural tan is an important factor of sexuality and also a sign of prosperity: you can afford the time and money to visit the sea in winter. But it was not always so. It’s no secret that in the past centuries, tan was the “advantage” of washerds and cowgirls, real ladies appreciated the noble pallor of the face, and if the skin was dark-skinned, they fought with it as best they could.
For example, the powder of the early XX century had a greenish, grayish and lilac shade, and dark, “tanned” varieties simply did not occur.
They say that the fashion for tanning was born accidentally, in the early 1920s, when the legislator of Coco Chanel’s style fell asleep on board the yacht of the Duke of Westminster under the scorching sun without a tent and hat and, naturally, sunbathed well. Instead of scratching off her bronze, she said it was beautiful. She was instantly believed by men and women, and the beaches of the Cote d’Azur showered sunbathing bodies. The dark skin of Europeans began to symbolize emancipation, freedom and wealth. However, after several decades, the doctors sounded the alarm.
Tracing that sunburns often lead to skin cancer, and constantly sunbathing ladies are increasingly faced with the problem of early aging and coarsening of the skin, doctors began promoting healthy sunburn.
And cosmetologists brought another chicken carrying golden eggs – sunscreen.
In general, the closer to the equator, the sun is more dangerous. We, the inhabitants of the Siberian region, taking away the rare hours of cloudless hot weather, you just have to rejoice, because, according to experts of the Novosibirsk Hydrometeorological Center, the sun in the middle latitudes of Russia is quite calm. But the dermatologist of the highest category, DMN, specialty clinic “Zdravitsa” Sergeeva Irina Gennadyevna recalls that excessive sun exposure can lead to premature skin aging, and patients with dermatitis and skin pigmentation disorders generally should avoid sunbathing. And if you really want to go to the beach, then you need to be in the shade. According to the doctor, the use of protective equipment even on Siberian beaches is mandatory.
How to choose sunscreen?
The susceptibility of people to solar radiation varies greatly. Focusing on appearance, physicians distinguish four types (in scientific terms, a phototype) and each of them is offered a “recipe” for tanning.
The first type (Celtic)is blonde or redheaded, eyes are blue or green, the skin is light, with lots of freckles. Such people are sunbathing very badly, practically they do not sunbathe, but burn, their skin produces too little melanin to protect from burns, so it will not bring anything but harm to it. Own skin protection is usually enough for 7 minutes. On the beach, they need to be in the shade, while using a cream with a protection factor of at least 30. The
second type (Nordic)– people with brown and gray eyes, blonde hair, fair skin with freckles. Such people can get tanned, but their skin is sensitive to burns. Usually tanning is preceded by reddening of the skin (in other words, a first degree burn). In the first week of walking to the beach you need to use a cream with a factor of 30, after – 15. Own protection for the skin lasts for 15 minutes, so that even when smeared with cream, after this time it is better to hide under the awning.
The third phototype (Central European)is characterized by chestnut hair, gray or brown eyes, a skin of average lordship. The skin of these people tans well enough, sometimes even without the stage of redness. This type is the most common in Russia. Actually, skin protection is enough for 25 minutes, the cream should be chosen for the first week with a factor of 15, then – 4-3 (in our climate).
The fourth type (Mediterranean)are people with dark skin without freckles, with dark eyes, black hair. These people are beautifully sunbathing, and they have almost no problems with burning. Without protection in the sun can be 35 minutes, for the cream enough factor 15, and when the skin gets used, then 3-4. People with the third and fourth phototype can use the oil for intensive sunburn on the second week of visiting the beach.
Well proven funds Ambre solaire (Garnier) from 250 to 400 rubles, depending on the degree of protection, Capital Soleil (Vichy) – from 600 to 800 rubles.
Lips need to be protected with either a special balm or hygienic lipstick without Vaseline.
(Vichy, sun-protective stick for lips, 280 rub. ).
Close your head – this will protect you from sunstroke and from burning out your hair. Do not appear on the beach without sunglasses, making sure that they will protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation.
After returning from the beach, take a shower using non-alkaline pH-neutral detergents. After that, even if the skin does not burn and there are no signs of burn, apply a lot of lotion after sunburn. First, it will cool and moisturize the skin, secondly, it will promote its regeneration, in the third, it will help the sun to appear.
Ambre solaire (Garnier) milk after sunburn, balm SOS from burns – 255 rubles.
If all the same you managed to burn your skin, then do not engage in self-medication. Address to the doctor – it is quite possible, he simply will prescribe to you ointment from a burn, for example “D-Panthenol”, but you can avoid serious consequences.
