Your skin knows what you did last summer
As summer approaches, the chance of being outdoors increases. You will probably go to the beach, the pool or to the mountains over weekends or holidays, and in all of these places you will be exposed to the sun's rays, more specifically the UV (ultraviolet) rays.
What UV rays are
UV rays are conductors of solar energy which reach Earth. They are made up of very short waves which, although are invisible, can cause a lot of damage given that they transmit UV (ultraviolet) radiation. These forms of radiation are categorized according to their wave length, and the shorter the length, the more energy the radiation will have.
What the types of UV rays are
- UV-A: are the rays which reach Earth the most, and fortunately are the least harmful. Almost all of the UV-A rays go through the ozone layer.
- UV-B: the ozone layer absorbs the majority of this radiation, which can be very harmful. The current deterioration of the layer causes these rays to be a real threat.
- UV-C: solar rays with a high radiation. They are the most harmful, although luckily they don’t affect us since the stratosphere´s oxygen and Ozone layer destroys them, preventing them from reaching the Earth surface.
It is very important that, when choosing the appropriate sun protection, you think about protecting yourself from UV-A and UV-B rays.
The tan in your skin's "memory"
Tanning is nothing more than a defense mechanism when the UV rays try to attack your skin. But this mechanism is wearing out year after year, and it will reach a certain point, when the cells no longer have the ability to offer us protection, which is when skin blemishes and premature ageing develop.
Skin blemishes are not serious at first, they later develop a particular complexiity, and eventually they turn into melanomas or other cancers.
Why do we believe that “the skin has a memory”? Since we were born, we take in radiation from UV rays, and it all starts to add up. The skin forgives but it doesn’t forget. We are forgiven for the occasional sunburn, but the skin does not forget all of the radiation that it has taken in since birth.
Have you seen how every one goes brown with higher or lower intensity? This is due to the fact that, at birth, every one has a genetically determined ability which has an impact on tanning, and according to the skin type, it will reach a point where you will not tan anymore. It important to know this threshold, given that if we insist on exposing ourselves to the sun, it is at this point where there will be the danger of photoageing and melanomas.
What you can do to protect your skin
Bear in mind that, even though precautions taken during the summer must be maximised, you should protect yourself throughout the whole year.
- Always use sun cream.
- Wear clothes that cover your skin and any hat or cap for your head (the scalp is also very sensitive).
- Wear sunglasses (protect your eyes from the UV rays as well as the sensitive skin around them).
Remember all of this advice to protect your skin, because as far as the sun is concerned, if you don't take care of yourself correctly, your skin will always remember.
