keep your skin glowing and protected all season long

 Learn how to shield your skin from harmful UV radiation and prevent heat damage with our comprehensive guide to summer skincare. From understanding UV rays to choosing the right sunscreen and soothing sunburned skin, this blog covers everything you need to know to keep your skin glowing and protected all season long."

The scorching sun and sweltering heat seem to persist day after day. Strong sunlight and ultraviolet rays can damage the skin, leading to issues like freckles, age spots, and other pigmentation problems. Consequently, summer accelerates the aging process of the skin. The main culprit behind skin aging is UV radiation. Despite this common knowledge, surprisingly many people fail to adequately protect their skin from UV rays.

UV radiation can be divided into UVA, UVB, and UVC based on wavelength. The types we mainly shield against are UVB and UVA. UVB has a wavelength of 280-320 nanometers, while UVA has a longer wavelength of 320-400 nanometers. UVC (280-200 nanometers) is mostly absorbed by the ozone layer and doesn't affect the skin directly.

UVA accounts for 90% of the UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. It primarily induces immediate pigment darkening of the skin by acting on melanin in the epidermis upon sun exposure. It also causes cellular changes leading to skin aging (wrinkles, loss of elasticity, etc.) and skin cancer.

UVB, with a slightly shorter wavelength, also contributes to skin aging but mainly causes immediate skin responses such as redness, itching, and blistering due to sunburn.

Therefore, it's advisable to protect the skin from both UVB and UVA radiation for effective skincare.

Professor Uyuri from Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, warns that prolonged and excessive tanning can pose risks to skin health due to UV-induced damage. This includes an increased risk of freckles, age spots, sunspots, and skin cancer (such as squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma), as well as promoting skin aging with fine lines, deep wrinkles, blemishes, and pigmentation.

During outdoor activities in summer, it's essential to reapply sunscreen regularly. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) indicates the "protection time" that a sunscreen can provide without damaging the skin from UV radiation. However, excessively high SPF may cause skin irritation. For brief outdoor activities, using products with at least SPF 25-30 and PA++ (UVA protection) is usually sufficient.

To maximize the effectiveness of sunscreen, it's recommended to apply the recommended amount. Typically, it's 2 mg per 1 cm² of skin. Applying half of the recommended amount twice, 30 minutes before going outside, can be more effective than applying the entire amount at once.

For soothing sunburned or overheated skin, using cucumber, potato, aloe vera, etc., as a pack can be helpful. However, natural packs may carry the risk of secondary infections due to impurities, pesticides, molds, bacteria, etc. Therefore, it's crucial to use fresh, clean natural ingredients when preparing natural packs. Avoiding ice packs is advisable as they can cause sudden temperature changes, potentially damaging the skin further.

In hot summer weather, frequent sweating may lead to increased facial cleansing. However, excessive washing or using harsh cleansers can damage the skin barrier. Generally, washing the face twice a day is sufficient, but if sweating excessively, it's best to rinse with water only after heavy sweating. Over-frequent washing can compromise the skin barrier, so using lightweight moisturizing lotions regularly is recommended.

Professor Uyuri emphasizes that air conditioning wind is a significant factor contributing to summer skin dryness. Direct exposure to air conditioning wind can further dry out the skin. However, if used appropriately to lower skin temperature, air conditioning can be beneficial.

In conclusion, proper skincare during the summer involves protecting the skin from UV radiation, using sunscreen effectively, soothing sun-exposed skin, and maintaining a balanced cleansing routine while avoiding excessive exposure to air conditioning wind.