Things to Watch Out for on Sunny Days

The sun's effects on us are intensifying during the summer months. While sunlight plays a major role in meeting our vitamin D needs, it is also known to have many adverse effects on our skin. Examples of these unwanted effects include skin damage, premature aging, and skin cancer risk at advanced stages. Dr. Emre Araz, Specialist, from the Dermatology Department of Yeni Yüzyıl Üniversitesi Gaziosmanpaşa Hastanesi, shared with us the damage that sunlight can cause to the skin.

The most important method to protect against the harmful effects of sunlight is to avoid going outside during the hours 10:00-14:00, when the sun's rays are most direct. If this is not possible, care should be taken to stay in the shade. Ultraviolet (UV) rays reach the earth's surface not only on sunny days, contrary to popular belief, but also on cloudy days. The proportion of these rays reaching the earth can reach as high as 80%. Our clothing also acts as a barrier against sun protection. Wearing a hat and sunglasses when outdoors will protect us against harmful rays. While hats with 10 cm brims are considered ideal, when choosing a hat, it is best to opt for hats made from light-impermeable materials. Thick fabrics, tightly woven fabrics, fabrics that have slightly shrunk with washing, and polyester clothing have higher protective properties. Faded or wet clothing has lower protective properties. Using sunglasses with UVA-UVB filters is also important to prevent the effects of sunlight on the eyes and the formation of cataracts.

Another protective method is sunscreen. Protective creams and lotions should be applied 30 minutes before going outside and should be reapplied every 2-4 hours. It is a fact that the first reapplication 30 minutes after sun exposure increases protection further. For use in the sea or pool, water-resistant products should be preferred.

The application of protective creams should be repeated after swimming and drying. Frequent and abundant use of these creams is very important for them to achieve the desired protection. They should be applied without rubbing to all UV-exposed areas in sufficient thickness to form a layer. For the face area, the adequate amount of sunscreen is approximately 1/3 of a teaspoon. When one-quarter of this amount is applied, the product's protective properties decrease 8-fold. Sunscreen creams should be used to protect against the harmful effects of the sun, not to extend the duration of sun exposure. When selecting creams to use, broad-spectrum products that provide protection against both UVA and UVB should be chosen. "Physical sunscreens" in sun protection products physically block sunlight (for example: zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) and are used together with chemical sunscreens in broad-spectrum products. While SPF 15 is sufficient during winter months in areas that receive average sun exposure, this value is inadequate during summer months. Protection below SPF 15 should not be used, and creams with at least SPF 30 protection should be used during summer months. The information that causes people to avoid using sunscreen creams—that it will hinder vitamin D synthesis—is incorrect. Exposure to the sun for 10-20 minutes per day provides the highest vitamin D production, even with regular sunscreen use. Tanning is one of the factors that reduces vitamin D production. At advanced ages, vitamin D synthesis from the skin decreases considerably. For these reasons, if there is a vitamin D deficiency, it would be more appropriate to cover this deficiency by obtaining vitamin D supplements from external sources rather than relying on sunlight, which has been definitively proven to lead to cancer.