The importance of using facial sunscreen

While it is true that summer is when radiation is most intense, the face is also exposed to sunlight during spring, autumn and winter, which is why it is important to always protect it. Not doing so can have consequences for the health of your skin, as we are going to explain in this article.

What is skin?

The skin is much more than just the layer that covers our entire body: it is an organ – the largest in the human being – mainly responsible for protecting us from all external agents that can be harmful to us, such as chemical elements, radiation, infections, etc.

In addition to this important protective function, the skin regulates body temperature and water loss, allows the synthesis of vitamin D and gives us our sense of touch.

As you can see, the skin plays important roles in our body, so it is essential to take care of it to prevent the development of skin disorders such as sensitive skin, among others, and to use facial sunscreen every day, and body sunscreen on the occasions when we expose it to the sun. Sunscreen is applied to the outermost layer of the skin, the structure of which we will see in the following section.

The three layers of the skin

• Epidermis: outer layer of the skin, composed mainly of keratinocytes. It is in a perpetual process of desquamation and regeneration. The epidermis is responsible for functioning as a protective barrier against harmful external agents and for preventing the loss of fluids from our body.
• Dermis: intermediate layer, largely made up of collagen and elastin, two components that play a fundamental role in the skin’s characteristic elasticity.
• Hypodermis: innermost layer of the skin. It stores fat that protects the body from external bruises and helps regulate body temperature.

What skin type do you have based on sun sensitivity?

Do you know what skin type makes you more or less susceptible to the effects of the sun or to skin cancer?

Skin types, depending on their tone, are divided into six groups or phototypes, depending on their tone: the palest (I and II) have a higher risk of skin cancer and are more photosensitive, while the darkest (V and VI) have a lower risk, which does not mean that they should not be protected.

Skin type I

If you never tan and you often get sunburned, your skin is probably of this type. Use a good sunscreen with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 50 or higher, as your skin is more vulnerable to melanoma and other types of skin cancer. What’s more, the best way to protect yourself from the sun is to avoid it by always seeking shade, especially during the hours of maximum ultraviolet radiation (between 12 noon and 4 p.m.). You should also take special care to have dermatological check-ups at least once a year and pay attention to any suspicious moles or spots.

Skin type II

It is a slightly more pigmented skin than type I, but it is also common to suffer from sunburn, and rarely tans. Therefore, if you belong to this group, the advice is the same as in the previous case, you should use facial and body sunscreens with high SPF and avoid the sun during the hours of highest radiation. In this way you will contribute to prevent the development of skin cancer.

Skin type III

If you have this skin type, you tan gradually, but sometimes you also get sunburned. Although your phototype is somewhat more resistant to radiation, it is still susceptible to damage, so you should protect yourself in the same way to prevent the development of skin cancer.

Skin type IV

If your skin belongs to this group, you will tan easily and will not burn on a regular basis. However, you are not free from risk: use sunscreen for face and body with medium protection and avoid the sun during the hours of highest radiation. As in the previous cases, pay attention to suspicious spots on your skin and have a dermatological check-up once a year.

Skin type V

This type of skin tans easily and almost never burns. If this is your case, do not stop using sunscreen, as you can prevent photoaging caused by UV type A rays. It is also important to have annual check-ups because this type of skin can develop acral lentiginous melanoma, which usually appears in areas of the body not exposed to the sun, and its detection is usually late.

Skin type VI

Skin phototype VI corresponds to people with very dark skin. Does this mean that they are not at risk of developing skin cancer? Unfortunately, no. As we have just mentioned, there are skin cancers that are more frequent in darker skin types, which is why it is always important to follow basic recommendations such as the ones we see in this infographic. The Skin Cancer Foundation.

The importance of facial sunscreen

The skin of the face is an indicator of our state of health and, in addition, its appearance can have an influence on our self-esteem, since the face is the most visible and exposed part of our body. This means that it is also the most prone to aggressions from external agents, which is why we must make a special effort to take care of it. It is very important to use facial sunscreen every day, as facial skin is almost continuously exposed to the sun and direct UV rays. In addition, the thickness of the skin in this area of the body is thinner, which contributes to making it more fragile and vulnerable to solar radiation.

What is solar radiation?

Solar radiation is all the radiation emitted by the sun, including ultraviolet (UV) and infrared rays:

• UV radiation: our skin faces two types of radiation:
• UVA: they have a wavelength of between 320 and 400 nm and penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin. They trigger the processes of allergies and solar reactions and, in the long term, photoaging. 
• UVB: their wavelength is between 290 and 320 nm and are responsible for the development of skin redness and burns, also known as solar erythema.
• Infrared radiation: these can enhance the negative effects of UVB and UVA radiation on our skin. Their wavelength is above 760 nm.

What are the consequences of too much sun on the skin? 

When we expose ourselves to the sun in a controlled way, for short periods when the radiation is not very high, the sun has beneficial effects such as:

• It stimulates the synthesis of vitamin D: it is necessary to fix calcium to the bones, thus preventing rickets and osteoporosis.
• It stimulates the production of melanin: this is the pigment that gives us the tanned appearance of the skin and helps protect it from UV radiation.
• Produces vasodilation: it reduces blood pressure.
• Promotes peripheral blood circulation
• Improves the symptoms of some skin diseases, such as psoriasis, acne or vitiligo, among others.
• Mood: sunlight improves mood.

Although these effects are positive, when sun exposure is excessive, the consequences become negative. As we have seen, UV rays can be A or B (UVA and UVB), and it is necessary to protect ourselves from both types, because while the former are involved in skin aging, the latter are responsible for sunburn.

According to a study by the AECC (Spanish Association Against Cancer), cases of melanoma, the most aggressive skin cancer, increase by 10% each year, so they recommend the promotion of sun protection habits and call for the importance of being aware of the consequences that excessive sun can have on our health. And the fact is that many people still continue to expose themselves to the sun in an inadvisable way. For example, according to the study, 42% of people sunbathe on the beach between 12 and 16 hours, the time when radiation is most dangerous.

They also stress the importance of protecting children from the sun and educating them about the risk it can pose, since most cases of skin cancer are the result of bad sun exposure habits in childhood and youth.

What are sunscreens?

Nowadays we can find different types of products that protect us from the sun, which are classified according to the type of protection. In this sense, we can find from creams to clothing with protection against solar radiation.

Dermatological sunscreens are products, usually in cream or spray format, which are applied to the skin to prevent UV radiation from damaging it. Within dermatological sunscreens, there are inorganic filters that reflect the light, preventing the rays from penetrating (they require frequent reapplication and give a mask-like appearance) or organic filters that work by absorbing ultraviolet radiation, so that they capture the energy and transform it so that it is harmless to the skin (they are the most commonly used).

As we have said, radiation is responsible for sunburn (UVB), photoaging (UVA) and increases the risk of skin cancer. Facial and body sunscreens are classified according to the type of UV radiation they protect against, as well as their SPF (sun protection factor).

What is SPF?

SPF refers to the degree to which the sunscreen blocks UVB radiation. The protection number multiplies the time the skin can stay in the sun without being damaged by UVB radiation. For example, a skin without any type of protection that can stay in the sun for 15 minutes without reddening may stay 10 times longer (150 minutes) if it uses an SPF 10, 15 times longer (225 minutes) if it is an SPF 15 or 20 times longer (300 minutes) if it is an SPF 20.

The recommendations are to use a facial or body sunscreen with at least an SPF between 15 and 30, since it is estimated that an SPF of 15 protects against approximately 93% of UVB radiation and an SPF of 30 protects against 96%.

Erroneous beliefs about sunscreens

There are many erroneous beliefs widespread among a large part of the population about the use of sunscreens, so we want to disprove the most well-known ones:

• “Sunscreen can cause vitamin D deficiency.”

Although it is true that there is controversy regarding this issue, recent studies point out that sunscreens do not inhibit vitamin D synthesis.

• “You don’t need to wear sunscreen when it’s cloudy.”

It stands to reason that if you don’t see the sun, you might think you don’t need to protect your skin. However, this idea is wrong, because even if it is cloudy, up to 40% of UV radiation reaches the earth. So now you know, use facial and body sunscreen whether it’s sunny, rain or snow!

• “Protecting yourself as an adult is not effective if you didn’t do it as a child.”

Not at all, regardless of the sun exposure you had in childhood and youth, it is very important to protect yourself from the sun in adulthood.

Recommendations for choosing your facial sunscreen

When choosing your sunscreen you should consider several things:

• SPF refers to the blocking of UVB radiation (sunburn), so it is important to choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that also protects against UVA radiation (photoaging).
• The length of time a person can stay in the sun without getting sunburned varies according to skin phototype and radiation index.
• You must take into account the age of the person to whom you are going to apply it, and choose the most suitable one for him/her, since there are special sunscreens for children or for mature skins.
• The type of use you are going to give it: is it for daily use, for the beach or the swimming pool, for the snow or the mountains? In either case, you will find facial and body sunscreens designed specifically for each activity.
• To be effective, regardless of SPF, facial and body sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before exposure and reapplied every two hours while in the sun.

Finally, we remind you that, in addition to using sunscreen, it is very important that you avoid risky behaviors, such as prolonged exposure to the sun or exposure to the sun at peak hours, and that, in case of any mole or spot that makes you suspicious, you should go to your doctor.

We are often unaware of the risk involved in sun exposure, which is why the AECC offers us this test that allows us to evaluate whether we are protecting ourselves well from the sun in our daily lives.

With this article, we hope to have helped you become aware that using facial sunscreen all year round is essential, as well as the importance of having certain habits focused on the prevention of skin cancer and other diseases.

Did you know that the risk of developing melanoma also has a genetic component? With the Veritas test, myGenome, you can find out if you have a greater predisposition to develop melanoma. In addition to this fundamental information to be able to take preventive measures and increase your skin care, it provides you with other data on important aspects of your health. A unique opportunity to take better care of yourself and your loved ones, are you going to miss it?