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sun damage on the skin. Various diseases and some preventive measures

sun damage on the skin. Various diseases and some preventive measures

Top Doctors
Top Doctors editorial
Top Doctors
Created by: Top Doctors editorial
Edited by: TOP DOCTORS® at 01/02/2019

Frequent skin damage that can generate solar overexposure spots, fine and coarse wrinkles, thinning and skin laxity, but the sun 's ultraviolet rays also cause mutations in the genes of skin cells and a decrease in local defense systems, what we know as cancer.

Dr. Fernando De la Barreda

ultraviolet light Although the sun is essential for life, can cause damage to the skin and eyes by ultraviolet radiation.

The UV radiation from the sun reaching the earth's surface are classified as A (UVR-A) and B (UV-B) according to its wavelength. Both are capable of damaging the skin in different ways. Originally it was thought that UV-B was the only one who had ability to affect the skin. Subsequently it was shown that the UV-A, which penetrates deeper, is equally harmful.

Skin cancer, an increasingly common condition

Sun damage can be acute (burns) or chronic. Sun exposure causes long-term spots, fine and coarse wrinkles, thinning and skin laxity, discoloration and appearance of small blood vessels (telangiectasia). These alterations occur mainly in fair-skinned people.

Even more important is the ability of ultraviolet rays to produce mutations in the genes of skin cells, and a decrease in the defense systems (immune) and generate local cancer.

The frequency of skin cancer due to the solar radiation has increased dramatically. In the last 3 decades people have had skin cancer than all forms of cancer combined. In the United States it is estimated that 1 in 5 people will have skin cancer in their lifetime.

Fortunately, most skin cancers can be cured if detected early and treated properly. Therefore it is desirable to have a specialist check your skin regularly.

But more important it is to try to prevent sun damage and skin cancer by habits that reduce exposure and daily use of an appropriate sunscreen.

Some recommendations to prevent sun damage and the importance of using sunscreen

To choose a sunscreen must take the sun protection factor (SPF) into account. This number indicates the degree of protection only against UV-B and is optimal between 30 and 50. A less than 30 FPS is little protection while one above 50 does not offer additional protection, it's just a marketing gimmick.

In recent years they have appeared in the market and better products for KUB-A but there is a method to measure protection as clearly as is the FPS to UV-B radiation. Normally on the label of these protectors you are only a legend indicating that protects against UVA.

Dermatology