The sun, a friend to watch
In small doses, the sun is excellent for your health. It indeed helps to synthesize vitamin D, essential to allow calcium to bind to the bones. It also promotes mood, helps in the formation of red blood cells and may even improve certain skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis…). He therefore has more than one asset! But in high doses, it can be occasionally allergies, sunburn or worse, skin cancer. Appropriate protection is essential to enjoy it safely.
UV in question
Several types of ultraviolet rays are emitted by the sun: UVA, UVB and (less known) UVC which do not reach us and are stopped by the atmospheric layer. Ultraviolet rays are dangerous for the skin. It is important to protect yourself from it. UVA penetrates the deep layers of the skin and UVB penetrates the heart of the epidermis. To counter them, choose a suitable sunscreen.
What level of protection, for what skin?
Sunscreens offer different levels of protection:
– Low protection (sun protection index 6 to 10)
– Medium protection (indices 15, 20 to 25)
– High protection (indices 30 to 50)
– Very high protection (index 50+)
– If your skin is very white and / or with freckles, or if you are red-haired: you have extremely sensitive skin. Better to avoid exposing yourself.
– If you have fair skin or if you are blonde, you have sensitive skin. So opt for a very high protection index (50 +).
– If your skin is neither dark nor light and you tan rather easily, your skin is intermediate. Then adopt for a high to medium index protection.
– If you have dark or dark skin, you have natural protection against the dangers of the sun. Of course, it is out of the question to do without protection, but a low to medium index cream is sufficient.
The level of sunshine
To choose the right sunscreen for you, you also need to set the level of sunshine at your vacation destination. If you are going to the tropics or high mountains, adopt very high protection. By the sea, a cream of index 30 to 50 is necessary to protect your skin. Finally, if you are spending your vacation in the great outdoors and are not a fan of sunbathing, you can settle for medium or low protection, depending on your skin type.
