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There is no doubt that it is very important to use a sunscreen all year round. The skin is constantly exposed to sun rays, even on days that seem harmless. Learn about those feared brown spots and why they appear, and learn how to enjoy the sunny days without compromising your skin health, following Dr. Luís Uva’s tips.

"The sunscreen should be applied before leaving the house, before we are exposed to the sun rays and it should be reapplied every 2 hours…in case we use a spray sunscreen, application should be repeated every 60/90 minutes."

THE IMPORTANCE OF SUN PROTECTION

With the arrival of the hottest months and sunny days, we are more often reminded about the importance of applying sunscreen, a routine that should be constant all year round. Ideally an SPF cream should be applied every two hours and, if we decide to go for a swim in the sea, we should reapply the product so that the skin is always protected.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MINERAL AND CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS

"There are two types of sunscreens: chemical and mineral, being the latter recommended for children, oily skin and also sensitive skin."

Mineral: they create a barrier on the skin through the mineral filters, which protect from radiations and don’t allow sun rays to penetrate the skin. They don’t contain chemical filters or fragrances and ensure UV high and broad-spectrum protection. They can be a good ally to prevent spots, acne and melasma.

Chemical: It is a type of sunscreen that uses active ingredients to absorb radiation. After applying an SPF cream its protection is activated, it absorbs the sun rays and transforms radiations into heat.

MELASMA AND SPOTS

What is melasma, why does it appear and how can it be eliminated? These are some of the questions frequently asked as far as beauty is concerned.

What is it?

It is a skin condition that causes brownish patches and spots, more common on the forehead, nose, cheeks and upper lip.

Why?

It usually appears on darker skins and it differs from other skin conditions by its aspect, location and age. It can be triggered during pregnancy, by the use of contraceptives and sun exposure. Heat is also a factor that can trigger and worsen this type of patches.

How to eliminate it?

There is no best treatment to eliminate melasma, but there are some treatments that can help the patches fade or make them disappear almost completely, such as skin lightening creams, peelings, mesotherapy with micro-needles as well as other medical laser treatments.

"Whereas sun exposure can make melasma worse, it is not, however, the main factor."

Are we more prone to get skin patches especially in Summer?

The sun and low UV protection are but two of the factors for the appearance of brownish spots on the skin. In fact, sometimes it is not necessary to be long hours in the sun for the skin to get small dark patches. Also, the use of some sun-tan lotions or other skin products may cause these patches to occur. However, fortunately, there is treatment in most cases, sometimes long-lasting though.

How should we protect our skin for the first sunny days?

First, it is important to have a balanced diet and choose foods that help protect the skin and increase tanning, such as foods rich in beta-carotene. Then, it is important to exfoliate your body, once a week and your face once a month in order to remove impurities and dead cells. The last step, equally important to all the preparation routine, is to hydrate your skin and next apply a sunscreen, before going outside.

Does it make a difference if you use an SPF50+?

There is a minor difference between using an SPF50 or over.  Most people think that if a higher factor sunscreen is used it needs to be applied only once or twice a day, which is not true. For children, an SPF 50+ is recommended and for adults SPF50 is enough as long as it is applied regularly.