Want to build strong bones, boost your immune system, and cheer up? Get some sun exposure.
Catching rays signals the skin to produce vitamin D, which absorbs calcium that fortifies our bones. Vitamin D can also help prevent the onset of diseases like type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and certain cancers by strengthening our immune system. When we are under the sun, it triggers the brain to release serotonin, a feel-good hormone and natural mood lifter.
But staying out in the sun for too long, or during the peak hours of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from 10 am to 4 pm, can be dangerous to our health too. That tan you got from your beach vacation or from heat training for a marathon may look nice and sporty, but it Is actually a sign of skin damage. And if your tan includes skin redness that is warm and tender to the touch, peeling, and blisters, then you have a sunburn.
“Sunburn is an inflammatory reaction of our skin to the UV radiation from the sun,” says Dermatopathology specialist Maria Isabel Beatriz Puno-Gomez, MD from Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed).
“There are two (2) kinds of ultraviolet rays that the sun emits: UVA and UVB. UVA penetrates deeper within our skin and UVB is more superficial. When these UV rays hit our skin, especially UVB, and we do not have proper protection like sunscreen and clothes, they can cause sunburn.”
To treat a bad case of sunburn, first get out of the sun. “Go indoors and take a cool bath to relieve you of the pain, and use a towel to pat yourself dry,” says Dr. Puno-Gomez. “Apply a moisturizer that contains aloe vera, oatmeal, or soy to soothe your skin.”
The MakatiMed doctor warns against peeling flaking skin or popping blisters with your fingers. “It is prone to infection,” she says. See a doctor if the pain from sunburn is intolerable; pain relievers and anti-inflammatory creams may be prescribed. And go to the nearest emergency room when your sunburn is accompanied by nausea, dizziness, chills, and fever.
Shopping for sunscreen
Still, you can soak in the sun this summer with several sunburn-preventive measures.
“The first thing to do is to get a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen. This is what you apply to your face, neck, and exposed areas of your body,” says Dr. Puno-Gomez. When shopping for sunscreen, make sure its SPF or sun protection factor is at least 30.
How to choose from the wide variety of products? “There are creams for dry skin. There are gels and water-based sunscreens for oily skin. There are also sunscreens for sensitive skin,” says the MakatiMed dermatologist. “For better protection, get a sunscreen with zinc oxide, a natural mineral that shields you from UV light. Reapply sunscreen every two hours you are out in the sun, and especially if you’re swimming or sweat a lot.”
Want a sunscreen alternative? Hats, sunglasses, and light-colored clothing that offer UV protection are also effective at preventing sunburn.
If Dr. Puno-Gomez had her way, she would stop you from sunbathing altogether. “It is never safe,” she says. Adding a layer of protection to your time under the sun certainly would not hurt.
“Always wear sunscreen. Apply 30 minutes before you step out into the sun and remember to reapply every two hours. And avoid the peak hours from 10 am to 4 pm. That is the time the sun is strongest and can cause sunburn,” she says.
Article based on “Say Ni Doc: Paano makaiwas sa sunburn” guesting of Maria Isabel Beatriz Puno-Gomez, MD, last March 21, 2023.
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