Protecting yourself from the sun is essential for your health capital. How to choose a suitable sunscreen among sunscreens, chemical filters and mineral filters?
Solar radiation is implicated in many diseases. Limiting overexposure to the sun would prevent 4 out of 5 skin cancers.
In the light spectrum, UV (ultra-violet) rays are located beyond the color violet, and are invisible. There are 3 types:
The skin basically has 2 ways to protect itself from the sun :
Tanning offers some protection against UVB rays (at most an SP6 protection factor) but not against UVA rays.
Self-tanners and tan accelerators do not provide UV protection .
Food supplements that can give a tanned complexion and prevent lucite (sun allergies) do not protect against the sun's rays either .
The sun capital is specific to each person, it brings together all the means of defense of the skin against solar aggressions. It depends on:
To learn more about the good uses of sun protection, click here.
It is the UV index that provides information on sun protection the most suitable. It is necessary to protect yourself as soon as the UV index is higher than 3.
The quantity of UVA received by the skin is constant during the day, the quantity of UVB received depends on various factors:
A sunscreen product must protect against UVA and UVB rays:
The sunscreen with SPF and UVA labeling guarantees these criteria.
The choice of protection indices of a sunscreen is done according to the phototype. There are 4 categories of sun protection:
- Low protection:SPF 6 or 10
- Medium protection:SPF 15, 20 or 25
- High protection:SPF 30 or 50
- Very high protection:SPF 50+
Taking photosensitizing drugs requires reinforced sun protection , consult your pharmacist or doctor to check your treatment.
Apply sunscreen before sun exposure on all uncovered surfaces without forgetting the hands, ears, temples and feet . For an adult of average build, we recommend about 36 g (6 teaspoons)
Sun protection is renewed every 2 hours and/or after bathing, toweling or sweating.
The exposure time should not be prolonged regardless of the protection index used.
Sun creams and milks are cosmetic preparations containing chemical and mineral filters that protect the skin from the sun's rays.
These are molecules that absorb UV rays. Their effectiveness depends on their absorption zone:
These filters can give skin reactions (irritation, contact allergy), accentuated by the recommended renewal of applications. chemical filters the most incriminated are:
*classified as an endocrine disruptor
These chemical filters should not be used on damaged and injured skin, and in infants.
A toxic effect (endocrine disruptor*) has been observed on the marine ecosystem (fish and corals). There are sunscreens formulated specifically to preserve the environment.
Mineral filters reflect and scatter UV rays. They are photostable, low allergenic and non-toxic. Two mineral filters are used:
Mineral filters leave a white effect on the skin and are not very fluid which makes their application less easy.
These mineral filters are often formulated in nanoparticles. These are particles whose size varies from 1 to 100 nanometers (a strand of DNA measures 2 nm). In this form, sunscreens are easier to apply and do not leave white marks.
Europe considers nanoparticles used at a maximum concentration of 25% in sunscreen products to be safe on intact skin (EC Regulation No. 1223/2009).
The ANSM recommends not to use cosmetic products containing nanoparticles on injured skin or following sunburn.
Since 2013, manufacturers must indicate the presence of nanoparticles in the list of cosmetic ingredients, example:titanium oxide [nano]
Mineral screens are preferred for infants, children, pregnant women and reactive skin, avoiding nanoparticles. Prefer eco-labeled mineral protection without nanoparticles.
