“The tan is nothing more than a defensive response of the body, it is its way of saying ‘I am damaging'”

Every summer the same ritual is repeated: full beaches, sun bodies and solar creams forgotten at the bottom of the bag. In search of a fast tan, many people deliberately renounce sun protection, convinced that this golden tone is reached better without barriers. What seems an aesthetic or harmless decision, can have consequences that are only revealed over time.

No to the cream. It is enough to open social networks to find videos that promote Do not use solar creams. From self -domening “experts” until anonymous users They share their “tricks” to get bruise faster, often omitting completely the use of sunscreens.

False myth. This practice connects with a belief still entrenched: the idea that sunscreen prevents tanning or that “natural brunette” is a sign of health and beauty. Thus, aesthetic desire continues to be imposed on prevention, and the risk goes unnoticed. Dr. José María Ricart, dermatologist and medical director of the Ricart Medical Institute (IMR), explains to Xataka: “Many people still believe in the idea of ​​’healthy tan’, when it really is a sign of skin damage.”

The data does not lie. The study all who has had PMFarma accessdriven by Laboratories Pierre Fabre, has revealed a worrying reality: 67% of Spaniards only use sunscreen to avoid burns, and not as a daily health habit. The report, which includes data from more than 50,000 people (4,000 in Spain), has shown that only 39.7% reaplies the photoprotector every two hours in the sunny days. The reasons for this misuse are since they forget (32%) to basic ignorance (11%) or, more worrying, they do not believe in their efficacy (10%).

For its part, the SAFE study, to which the Spanish Institute of Health Trainers has had access, has contributed Another interesting fact and is that 79% of adults and 74% of Spanish children are exposed to the sun in maximum radiation hours, between 11:00 and 17:00.

The problem beyond the skin. Taking the sun without protection is not a simple carelessness, it is a practice that accelerates skin aging and raises the risk of skin cancer. As Dr. Ricart explains, it is important to know the two types of ultraviolet radiation that can affect us. On the one hand, UVB rays, more powerful in summer, are those that cause solar burns and damage cell DNA. On the other hand, UVA rays, present all year, even on cloudy days, penetrate more deeply and are responsible for premature aging.

“The tan is nothing more than a defensive response of the body. It is its way of saying: ‘I am damaging.’ If someone still doubts it, that compares the skin of the face with that of the buttock, an area never exposed to the sun: without spots, without wrinkles, without photonexing,” he emphasizes.

Take it to the extreme. Oh, who is looking for unconventional shortcuts to achieve that long -awaited golden tone. One of the most curious examples is the old myth that Eating carrots intensifies tan. While beta-carotene present in these vegetables can give the skin an orange nuance, this effect does not replace or protect against sun damage.

In fact, some experts have warned that it is a superficial coloration, not a true tan, and that bringing this practice to the extreme – such as consuming large amounts of carrot daily – can end in carotenodermia: an orange pigmentation that has little to do with summer aesthetics.

Frequent errors. Even those who believe they make failures that drastically reduce the effectiveness of sunscreen. Among the most common mistakes, Dr. Ricart highlights the fact of not applying it daily, not doing so in advance (20 or 30 minutes before leaving), reapplying it after a bath or every two hour, using small quantity and reusing expired creams or the previous summer.

Prevention with technology. To raise awareness about these risks, technology has been put at the service of prevention. An example is Mysun Experiencea digital tool developed by Eau Thermale Avène and the artificial intelligence company Data Ora. This simulator allows the user to see how their skin will age in the next 15 years according to their sun protection habits.

Another model is possible. The aesthetic pressure of the tan still weighs. Golden bodies continue to dominate ads, social networks and beauty referents. But the medical message is clear: each without protection exposure is a cumulative aggression for the skin. And that damage, sooner or later, shows.

Image | Pexels

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