Praxis Dr. med. Erik Senger - Patienteninformation

The sun has many beneficial effects and is absolutely vital to sustain human life. It improves metabolism, helps in the synthesis of vitamin D, can relieve the symptoms of certain skin conditions and generally improve our sense of well being. Do you yourself not feel more energetic and active during the summer months?

Despite these positive effects, we cannot deny that the sun can damage the skin.

Our skin's natural defence mechanisms

The skin is equipped with several mechanisms to protect itself from the sun's harmful rays. One of them is melanin, a pigment that gives the skin its colour: people with brown skin burn less quickly.

The sun's UVA rays stimulate the oxidation of a colourless precursor of melanin in the top layer of the skin. The resulting "tan" does not last and fades after a few days.

The UVB rays stimulate the production of more melanin. This produces a delayed reaction, resulting in a lasting tan, which will only fade when new skin is formed. Furthermore the sun's UVB rays promote a thickening of the skin's top layer, which protects the layers of skin below. This enables you to stay in the sun for up to four times as long as you could unprotected.

Please be aware that solariums (predominantly UVA rays) do not promote this thickening of the skin and thus do not provide optimum protection.

These natural defence mechanisms develop slowly. Skin unaccustomed to the sun should not be exposed to intense sunlight. Skin types with less pigment such as skin types I and II (see table) are more at risk. These aspects should still be taken into consideration when using a solarium.

Harmful effects of sunbathing

The damaging effects of sunbathing are sometimes immediately apparent such as typical sunburn or an allergic reaction. In some cases they do not become apparent until years later in the form of chronic sun damage or skin cancer.

Frequent sunburn in childhood has been linked to melanoma, the most malignant form of skin cancer. It is therefore imperative to ensure adequate protection from an early age.

While the short wave UVB rays are responsible for sunburn, over-exposure to the long wave UVA rays can damage the connective tissues. The skin will become rough, wrinkly, course and dry and will lose elasticity. Brown patches of pigmentation may appear (liver spots).

Over-exposure to UVA and UVB rays is a known cause of certain treatable skin cancers, such as basal and squamous cell carcinoma and even melanoma.

Protecting yourself

In order to be able to choose the right kind of protection you need to know your skin type.

Skin Type	Skin Colour	Sunburn	Tan
I	very fair	always	never
II	fair	frequently	poor
III	light brown	seldom	good
IV	brown	rarely	very good

You can base your choice of SPF factor on both your skin type and the UV index.

The UV index is used to measure the intensity of the UV rays and is issued for various regions in Germany. The levels in Germany are usually between 1 and 8, rising to 9 in mountainous areas. In the tropics the level is usually around 12. The UV index is based upon the highest UV intensity of the day. The higher the level, the less time you can spend unprotected in the sun. The UV index is printed in daily newspapers or can be obtained from the German weather service in Offenbach.

UV-B	UV-A	Visible light	Infrared
0.4%	3.9%	51.8%	43.9%
280	320	400	700 mm wave length

Illustration of how deep UVB rays penetrate the skin
Source: Pamphlet: Achtung, Sonne der Deutschen Krebshilfe (pamphlet on sun damage issued by the German Cancer Relief Fund)

Sunscreens are made effective by the chemical filters or microparticles they contain. From a dermatological point of view those sunscreens containing no artificial colour, preservatives, perfume or chemical filters are preferable. A UVB SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 means that you can stay in the sun up to 15 times longer than without protection. A high UVA SPF is also recommended, as is protection from infrared rays.

The carotene naturally present in fruit and vegetables plays an important role in building up protection from within. This is due to the fact that beta-carotene absorbs the UV rays and converts them into heat without damaging the tissues. Beta-carotene neutralises damaging substances (such as singulet oxygen and free radicals) which are produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight. To achieve optimum protection, a course of beta-carotene (e.g. Carotaben capsules) should be started 4 weeks prior to exposure to the sun. This will not protect your skin from sunburn or allergic reaction and sunscreen should still be used. (Please see our patient information sheet "Sun Allergy" for further information on this subject).

I recommend a moderate amount of sunbathing in summer, not more than 50 times per year (including visits to the solarium). Always use an adequate sunscreen to protect your skin. For our climate here use a sunscreen suitable for your skin type and expected length of exposure - but at least SPF20.

If you are sensible about sunbathing and the use of sunbeds and follow the advice given above, you can enjoy the beneficial effects of the sun without worrying about long-term damage.

To get an exact calculation of how long you can stay in the sun unprotected and to receive individual sunscreen advice please make an appointment for a private consultation.

Praxis Dr.med. Erik Senger - Impressum - Last updated: