Note to sunscreen skeptics: The sun’s UV rays are coming at you, and you’re making their job easier.
It’s summer, which means we’ll be spending more time in the sun – and more exposure to the ultraviolet rays it emits. Longer wavelength ultraviolet A rays can penetrate below the skin’s surface, causing premature skin aging. Shorter wavelength ultraviolet B rays affect the outermost layers of skin, causing sunburn and tanning. (A third type of ray, ultraviolet C, is blocked by the Earth’s protective ozone layer.)
Both UVA and UVB damaging the DNA in skin cellscauses mutations. These mutations can accumulate over time and cause tumors to grow. The longer you are exposed to UV, the greater the riskAccording to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer in the United States, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. About 5.4 million people suffer from it. this cancer combined are diagnosed each year, and they cause Between 2,000 and 8,000 deathsThe American Cancer Society says.
Melanoma of the skin is rarer and more deadly, affecting an estimated 100,640 Americans this year and resulting in 8,290 deathsAccording to the National Cancer Institute.
Sunscreen can protect you from these deadly diseases in two ways. Chemical sunscreens contain the following ingredients: avobenzone which absorb UV rays. Mineral sunscreens depend on zinc oxide Or titanium dioxide To block or reflect the rays. Either way, solar radiation is unable to penetrate the skin and contaminate your DNA.
Here are 10 sunscreen-related myths you shouldn’t believe:
Myth 1: As long as you don’t get a sunburn, you’re safe.
reality: You don’t need to have a sunburn to put your skin at risk. UV exposure will damage the DNA of unprotected skin – even if your skin looks normal to the naked eye – and its effects are cumulative, it’s said. Dr. Henry LimDr. Ted King, a photodermatologist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, studies the effects of sunlight on the skin.
“Every time the skin is damaged by the sun, whether there is a sunburn reaction or not, there is some damage to the skin that needs to be repaired,” Lim said. “If this sub-clinical damage is persistent over a long period of time, the skin’s ability to completely repair that DNA damage will be reduced.”
Myth 2: Your body needs vitamin D, and sunscreen will keep you from it.
reality: Just a little exposure to sunlight is all it takes to get the vitamin D your body needs. A study of white people in the Boston area found that Stay in the sun for 5 to 10 minutes Massaging the face, hands and feet two or three times a week during the summer months is enough to produce adequate amounts of Vitamin D.
Even if you wear sunscreen, you still need to limit the amount of time you spend in the sun, Lim said. “When we do apply sunscreen, we don’t apply enough,” he said. “It’s just human nature.”
Dr. Anne Chappuisa dermatologist in Manhattan and clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Medical Center, advises patients who are concerned about their vitamin D levels to protect their skin and seek out the nutrient. In foods Or take supplements.
“You need vitamin D to stay healthy, but there are many ways to get it,” he said.
Myth 3: The chemicals in sunscreen can cause cancer.
reality: The active ingredients in sunscreens sold in the U.S. are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which has determined that they are safe and effective. Add that “sunscreen use is not associated with higher rates of any type of cancer.”
In fact, it’s the opposite, Chapas said: “If you want to avoid cancer, wear sunscreen.”
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman sprays sunscreen on his face. Dermatologists recommend spraying it into your hand and then applying it to your face.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Myth 4: You don’t need to wear sunscreen when the UV index is low.
reality: The UV Index primarily measures UVB, which Lim calls the “sunburn spectrum.” Even though UVB is low, you still need to protect yourself from UVA.
“As long as there is light, there is enough UVA,” which is responsible for causing tanning, wrinkles and increasing the risk of skin cancer, Lim said.
Chapas agrees. “Even on cloudy days, about 80% of the sun’s rays come through and you can still get sun damage,” he said.
Myth 5: You don’t need sunscreen if you have dark skin.
reality: People of all colors Sunlight can cause damage and skin cancer. In fact, “skin cancer in patients with darker skin is often diagnosed at later stages, when it is more difficult to treat,” he said. Dr. Simal DesaiThe President of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dr.
Because darker skin is able to produce melanin when exposed to the sun, its color can change more easily than lighter skin, Chapas said.
Myth 6: Mineral-based sunscreens are safer than chemical sunscreens.
reality: Lim said both types of sunscreen are safe to use, but there are fewer unknowns about mineral sunscreens because they are not absorbed into the skin.
Chapas said that’s one reason she prefers mineral sunscreens. She also appreciates their versatility, since they can be applied over makeup or moisturizer. “The challenge is that some of these formulations have a white color, so you have to find a formulation that Works with your complexion,” He said.
Myth 7: You can protect yourself from the sun by creating a “base tan.”
reality: Lim said a tan may provide some protection, but it is less than the equivalent of SPF 5. It is not enough to make sunscreen unnecessary.
Plus, a tan itself is a sign of sun damage. “When our skin is exposed to UV light, it stimulates the production of melanin to prevent UV from penetrating the skin and damaging the underlying skin cells,” Chapas said. “A tan is not healthy. A tan is actually your body trying to protect itself.”
Myth 8: The antioxidant astaxanthin will protect you from UV and act as an “internal sunscreen.”
reality: Lim said antioxidants reduce biological damage caused by sun exposure in two ways. When UVA rays damage DNA, they do so by causing oxidative damage to DNA, and Antioxidants may help reduce itIn addition, when Visible light interacts with the skinThis can cause cells to produce a type of destructive molecule called reactive oxygen speciesAntioxidants may also help counter this process.
It makes sense to include antioxidants for sun protection, but they can’t work alone. “There is no drug that works as effectively as a sunscreen,” Chapas said.
If you’re looking to take antioxidants to reduce sun damage, astaxanthin isn’t necessarily the best choice, Lim and Chapas agree. Product recommended by Chapas Heliocare,
Myth 9: The chemicals in sunscreen get into your bloodstream and build up over time.
reality: There have been no long-term studies on the blood of people who use sunscreen regularly, so there is no data to say whether this is true or false. However, the chemicals are excreted in the urine, which is an indication that they do not stay in the body for long, Lim said.
He added that people who are wary of chemical sunscreens can opt for mineral sunscreens instead.
Myth 10: You can avoid harmful sun rays by wearing a good hat.
reality: A wide-brimmed hat will definitely help protect you from the sun. This is especially true for people who are bald or have thinning hair, because “we don’t have great sunscreens for hairy areas,” Chapas said.
However, hats only block UV rays that come from above. Without sunscreen, you’ll still be vulnerable to rays that reflect off of water, sand or urban surfaces like pavement and hit your skin from below. (This is why you need sunscreen even if you’re in the shade.)
“We need to take a number of steps,” Lim said. “Each one of them is helpful, but it’s not as good as when you put them all together.”
