Being able to take advantage of the mildness of the sun and its beneficial effects, in particular its vitamin D intake, is a good thing and often a very appreciated feeling. But be careful, exposing yourself to the sun involves risks for the skin and the eyes in particular, which are already weakened when you get older. This is why, when you are a senior, it is very important to protect yourself from the sun. Sunscreen is one of the essential allies to counter its misdeeds. Others will prefer to use self-tanners without exposing themselves to the sun!
At all ages, it is important to protect your skin from the sun and in particular from its UV rays. The latter, expressed in the form of indices, designate the intensity of the sun's radiation. The higher they are, the greater the need for protection from the sun. We speak, for example, of strong exposure to UV rays when their index is 7 or 8, of extreme exposure when the UV index is 9 or more.
But seniors, whose skin becomes more fragile with advancing age, must be even more vigilant to avoid the harmful effects of the sun, which is, for example, responsible for premature skin aging and therefore wrinkles and fine lines on the face, loss of elasticity of the skin, appearance of spots of color darker than the natural skin. But there is more serious, exposing yourself to the sun also increases the risk of declaring skin cancer (melanoma).
The sun is not only dangerous for the skin. It also has adverse effects on the eyes. However, as we know, seniors are already more exposed due to diseases that affect their eyes such as macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, dry eye syndrome, etc. Don't forget to wear effective sunglasses, equipped with an anti-UV filter, during your exposure to the sun.
On the other hand, taking certain medications (including anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, anti-allergics, diuretics, medications used in cardiology, oncology, neuropsychiatry, or dermatology), which we know is more common among seniors, also multiplies the harmful effects of the sun. They can cause so-called “phototoxic reactions” in the form of sunburn, even severe burns on the skin, or allergic reactions (irritations, rashes, etc.). All of these symptoms are caused by the chemical properties of these drugs, which do not work well with the sun's rays.
This is why, and even more seniors whose skin is weakened over time and who suffer from eye problems, it is strongly recommended to avoid long exposure to the sun to, among other things, not get severe sunburn. , but also to remember to stay hydrated.
In addition to protecting your skin and eyes from the sun by putting yourself in the shade as much as possible, by limiting the duration of exposure to the sun, by wearing a hat, etc., use sunscreen, the role of which is to act as a barrier to the UV rays of the sun, is essential at any age, and particularly when you are a senior.
As we age, the skin is indeed more sensitive to the sun. But not all skin types react the same way. This is why, before choosing a sunscreen, it is important to clearly define your skin type. We then talk about determining your own "phototype", a term that designates your level of risk from the sun.
There are 6 kinds of phototypes determined by different skin types, eye colors and hair, as indicated by the Health Insurance:
Once your phototype has been determined based on these elements, you can choose the sunscreen best suited to your skin type and which will provide you with the best possible protection.
Sun creams are classified according to categories of protection indices, which are visible on their packaging in the form of acronyms, SPF for Sun Protection Factor or SFP for "Sun Protection Factor", and numbers ranging from 10 to 50 and more. An index of 50+ indicates very high protection from the sun, 30 and 50, high protection, 15,20,25, medium protection, and 6 and 10, low protection.
In general, and even more so for seniors, whatever your skin type, it is strongly recommended to use an anti UVA and UVB sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 25, and especially the best one. adapted to your sunshine conditions.
The way to apply sunscreen is also very important:for it to be as effective as possible, you must spread your sunscreen in a thick layer at least 30 minutes before exposing yourself to the sun, and remember to renew the application. every two hours and after each swim even if your sunscreen says it is water resistant.
Namely:previously, some sunscreens carried the indication “total screen”. This name is prohibited in France today because this formulation is misleading:no sunscreen protects 100% from the sun...
