Sunburn and allergies are not always mild

How to enjoy the benefits of the sun while sparing your skin?The advice of two dermatologists, Dr. Rastine Merat, assistant doctor of the onco-permatology unit at the University Hospitals in Geneva (HUG), and Dr. Bernard Noël, dermatologist at the Vaud University Hospital Center (CHUV).

Les coups de soleil

Your skin is red, you feel a kind of burn 24 hours after excessive exposure to the sun and, in the worst case, blisters form.It's a sunburn.UVBs are the main managers.In the long term, repeated sunburns accelerate the aging of the skin and are a risk factor for skin cancer, including melanoma.So how to protect yourself?First of all by knowing the different situations of sun exposure better.

Whatever the place of the globe, it is better to expose yourself to the sun early in the morning or at the end of the afternoon and avoid it when it is at the zenith.But the more we approach the equator, the more the period when the sun is dangerous is lengthening.In addition, the surroundings of water (due to reflection) and high altitude (due to less protection by the atmosphere) are other risky situations.High mountain expeditions therefore require high protection.Finally, people with matte skin are naturally less sensitive than those with clear skin - which does not exempt them from protection in extreme contexts, such as the high mountains or the hours of strong sunshine.

The shadow and the clouds are barriers against UV, but their effectiveness remains partial.In the shade, we still receive 50% of UVAs.Likewise, you have to be wary of a cloudy sky, because UVs pass through.In addition, the clouds reducing the feeling of heat, we tend to expose ourselves more.

Le saviez-vous?

No choice, therefore: if you want to enjoy the sun safely, you have to follow a series of rules.The first is not to expose yourself to the most dangerous hours.The others are to favor the shadow, to wear hat and glasses, to protect themselves with clothes, if possible anti-UV.Solar creams avoid sunburn but are not very useful against melanoma.

L’allergie au soleil

The day after an exposure to the sun, it happens that small red pimples appear on well -localized areas of the body: neckline, arms or legs.This eruption is reminiscent of hives or eczema, but can take different aspects depending on the.It itches without leaving scars.It is a benign summer lucite, allergic type reaction which generally occurs after the first exhibitions or later in the season, when you go to regions where the sun's rays are particularly intense.This affection can be declared at any age of life.

It is quite common and more readily affects women and people with clear skin: "Its mechanisms are mysterious.It can last a few years and then disappear.It appears mainly on the parts of the body which are covered in winter, sparing the face and the places which are most used to the sun, ”comments Dr. Bernard Noël.To avoid this type of skin reaction, it is advisable to expose yourself very gradually in the sun, starting with only a few minutes a day so that the skin gets used to.What to do once the eruption appeared?The best remedy is to avoid the sun on the days that follow - which is not always easy on vacation ... You can also apply a moisturizer, and if the eruption is very uncomfortable, a cortisone cream.

Solar hives is another type of allergic sun reaction, rarer, but more severe.After an exhibition, red plates resembling hives appear on the whole body, including face.Symptoms do not diminish after several successive exposures, unlike those of Lucite.Generally, discomfort is such that it leads to medical consultation.

L’astuce

So that sunscreen offers protection against sunburn promised on the packaging, it must be applied 2 mg per square centimeter.A quantity that corresponds to that used in the laboratory to test its effectiveness.In practice, for a person of average corpulence, this corresponds to two teaspoons on each part of the body (head, trunk and legs) and one on each arm (i.e. ten spoons in total), to be renewed every two hours.We will choose an index corresponding both to its type of skin and the context of exposure, preferably greater than or equal to 30 and 50 for the most fragile skin and extreme situations.Please note, sunscreen alone is not enough to protect itself from the sun and skin cancer.Other measures must be respected.

Les marques sur la peau

The sun's rays can lead to skin reactions in people who treat themselves with certain so-called "photosensitizing" drugs, including certain antibiotics, antidiuretic, anti-hypertensive, non-stéroid non-inflammatory drugs.Subjected to the sun, the skin blushes suddenly, like in a sunburn, but in an exaggerated way compared to the exposure time.Plant -based products (lemon, bergamot, thousandpertuis for example) can cause similar reactions.Before going to the sun, so read the packaging instructions for your medication or ask your pharmacist for advice.Also beware of scented cosmetics and the perfumes themselves that can leave stubborn spots on the skin when the sun interacts with them.Better to give it up before the beach or flavor your clothes.

On the return from vacation, despite the tanned complexion, some people are struck by a pimp of pimples called "Acne de Mallorca".The responsibles?Solar screens, these very fatty products that have the art of plug pores of the skin.To limit their comedogenic effects, we can turn to less oily specific ranges.Clean your skin well at the end of the day is also effective.

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