The sun is essential to maintaining mental health (in the prevention of seasonal depression), and determining the metabolism of calcium for bone growth (through the synthesis of vitamin D).

But the fact remains that a reckless exposure to sunlight seriously damage the skin. The sun exposure can cause burns, allergies, and long-term cellular aging. In limit, you can even cause skin cancer.

The sun emits radiation that penetrate more or less deeply into the skin. Of solar radiation reaching the earth (the visible radiation, the infrared and ultraviolet), the UVA is responsible for cellular aging and UVB for sunburn, both together lead to skin cancer.

A very worrying phenomenon is the reduction of the ozone layer. The ozone layer absorbs some part of the radiation, but it is declining, it means that more UV rays will pass and reach our skin.

Sunscreen products

The use of a suitable sunscreen is essential, everybody knows.

If your skin is oily you should prefer the milk gel, while the oils and creams are best for dry skins.

The original skin tone should also be taken into account. People with very white skin, freckles, need a stronger protection than those with dark skin and dark hair. In general, the more sensitive your skin is, the higher should be the protection.

Prevention

Avoid sun exposure between 11am and 4pm, when the rays are more intense and dangerous

Choose a specific sunscreen, preferably water resistant and apply it to all exposed areas, not forgetting the hands, neck and lips

Remember to protect yourself even in cloudy or overcast weather since the suns rays can penetrate through clouds. (the clouds, mist and fog does not prevent the passage of UV rays)

Repeat the applications at least every 2 hours during exposure and after baths (the UV cross the water to about 30 meters and can burn the skin while you are swimming or diving)

Protect yourself by using a hat with wide flaps in order to protect the eyes, nose, ears and neck

Use a t-shirt and sunglasses whose lenses have UV protection.

Drink fluids regularly, especially water, to avoid the risk of dehydration

Skin cancer

The most serious of all is the melanoma, a malignant tumor that develops from the pigmented cells of the skin, the melanocytes. Uncontrolled growth of these cells are small tumors in the form of small dark signs - the melanomas.


Risk factors

The main risk factors of melanoma are white skin and exposure to sunlight, since ultraviolet rays cause mutations or changes in DNA.

People of dark skin has melanin that absorbs most UV rays before they cause damage. However, melanoma can arise in areas of skin not exposed to the sun and in very dark-skinned people also, because the melanin does not stop all UV.

The sooner you notice, the better, because it is possible to prevent the melanoma from spreading to other parts of the body (such as liver and lungs).



Superficial Spreading Melanoma

Superficial spreading melanoma (SSM) is the most common type of melanoma in the United States, accounting for about 70% of all diagnosed melanoma cases. This type of melanoma can strike at any age and occurs slightly more often in females than males. SSM is the leading cause of death from cancer in young adults.

When SSM occurs in females, it most commonly appears on the legs. In males, it is more likely to develop between the neck and pelvis. However, this does not mean that females do not get SSM on their trunks or that males do not see SSM on their legs. This melanoma can occur anywhere on the skin’s surface.


What it looks like

In the early stages, SSM usually appears as a flat spot that looks like a freckle that is spreading sideways on the skin. Over time, the pigmentation in the lesion may darken, and the lesion may grow, develop increasingly irregular borders, and have areas of inflammation within the lesion. The area around the lesion may begin to itch. Occasionally, a SSM may become “less” pigmented as a person’s immune responses try to destroy it. If a lesion becomes less pigmented, this does not mean that the lesion no longer requires treatment. It definitely needs to be examined by a dermatologist.