External elements are the cause of damage to our skin ; if we know them we will know how to better protect ourselves from them.
Ultraviolet rays
- There are three types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, UVB and UVC. Depending on the wavelength, they penetrate our skin in one way or another, causing different types of damage. UVA rays (long-wavelength) are responsible for immediate skin pigmentation and delayed tanning. Little by little they penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin, and cause changes in it: spots, skin aging (by destroying the collagen responsible for skin elasticity) and pre-cancerous lesions (actinic keratosis).
- UVB rays (medium wavelength) have higher energy but little penetration into the skin. Its effects accumulate in our skin over the long term and are responsible for burns, increased skin thickness, and skin cancer..
- And UVC rays (short wavelength) are the most aggressive, but they do not reach the stratospheric ozone layer because they are absorbed by the atmosphere and retained there.
Bronzer
- The bronzer acts like an umbrella against the sun, protecting us by absorbing and reflecting ultraviolet rays, being a weapon in the fight against skin cancer. Most sunscreens block UVB rays to a greater or lesser extent and allow UVA rays to pass through, to get some tan, although it is true that you have to be careful not to fall into anorexia.
- Only in the case of sunscreens that act as sunscreens, with full protection, the effect of both radiations is blocked, to protect 100% of the skin in extreme conditions, such as exposure to snowy areas or high mountains, or very photosensitive skin (children and very light skin).
- The Solar protection factor (SPF) is an international scale that determines the degree of sunscreen protection:
SPF between 2 and 5: low protection
SPF between 6 and 11: medium protection
SPF between 12 and 19: high protection
SPF between 20 and 29: maximum protection
SPF from 30: extreme protection - In any case, experts recommend Do not use a sunscreen with an SPF of less than 15, as we are all exposed to skin lesions and a longer exposure time to the sun than recommended.