In the past two months, as many as 220 people have been hospitalized in Northern Ireland with sunburns. Public Health England, the equivalent of the High Authority for Health, sounded the alarm.
While France is experiencing its first scorching episode of the year, the Public Health England, equivalent to the Haute Autorité de Santé, has issued an alert on severe sunburn. In the past two months, as many as 220 people have been hospitalized in Northern Ireland with sunburns.
The agency urged those at risk to “use common sense” and protect themselves from UV rays, recalling that sunburn doubles the risk of developing a disease. melanoma. “Our advice is to think carefully about what you do in the sun and use common sense – know the limits of your own skin, don’t stay too long in the scorching sun, wear sunglasses and a head covering. , dress in light-colored clothes and finally use a factor 15 sunscreen, “said Professor John O’Hagan of Public Health England.
“Children should be given special treatment”
For Matthew Patey, CEO of the British Skin Foundation, “the increase in admissions for burn due to sunburn is not surprising. Nevertheless, this situation is largely avoidable and following these few tips will help relieve the congestion in hospitals and prevent the long-term development of skin cancer. protected from the sun and must wear an SPF 50 sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection. Do not forget to apply the cream regularly and hydrate Consequently”.
More than a quarter of Britons don’t put on sunscreen when out in the sun, according to a study by YouGov. And when they put it on, they forget about crucial areas, like the back, eye area, knees or ears. Common mistakes in regions that are not used to good weather. In France, Brittany thus holds the sad record for the highest regional incidence of skin cancer. 19.7 cases of melanoma per 100,000 inhabitants were recorded there in 2016 against only 14.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (the national average) for the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes.
80,000 new cases of skin cancer
Each year in France, 80,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed, or 219 people every day. Since January 1, 2018, 28,198 have been released. About 1,600 people die from it each year. INCa and Inpes estimate that the increase in the number of cases of skin cancer since the 1980s results from the fact that the French tend to expose themselves more often and for longer to the sun and to have sessions of UV.
To protect yourself from UVB rays, you must choose a cream with sufficient sun protection factor (SPF). The indices, which range from 6 to 50+, express the ability of a cream to delay sunburn. A person with fair skin will see their skin start to redden after about 10 minutes of exposure. An index 15 cream will give her a 150-minute respite before her skin begins to scorch again.
The choice of the SPF index depends on your phototype, that is to say your pigmentation and your sensitivity to the sun. For the range, we can use the following benchmarks:
– Fairly resistant skin (dark or dark, no sunburn): SPF 6 to 10
– Intermediate skin (easily tan, rare sunburn): SPF 15 to 25
– Sensitive skin (white, frequent sunburn): SPF 30 to 50
– Extremely sensitive skin (white, freckles, does not tan): SPF 50+
Second degree burn
These indices are calculated assuming that the cream is applied at the rate of two grams per square centimeter of skin. An illusory amount, which would cost you practically a tube a day! In practice, it is often considered that an index of 50 corresponds to an index 15. For white skin, it is therefore necessary to opt for a cream of index 50 and brush on every two hours.
In case of sunburn, cool the area with cold water, then apply a cream (Biafine, Cicalfate, Epitheliale or Cicabio cream) for a few days. If the skin turns bright red, peels, blisters, or edema forms, it is a second degree burn. It is then imperative to apply cold water compresses, to use a cream for burns (Laluset, Bepanthen …, no biafine) and to consult a doctor. While waiting for the professional to examine you, it is advisable to stay calm, naked, in the dark, drink water and take paracetamol.
Be careful, poorly treated, this type of burn can leave scars and spots, and deprive the patient of sun for the rest of the vacation, or even for his entire life. “A severe sunburn depletes the sun’s capital. The patient no longer has natural melanin protection and will be more likely to develop cancerous lesions in the next twenty years, especially if he has a very light shade. more exposure “, explains in the Express dermatologist Michèle Pelletier.
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