Sun and children: why is solar cream not enough
When it comes to the misdeeds of the sun, it all starts very early. Exposure to UV rays, the main cause of skin cancers, is all the more harmful in children. Their thin skin and their still immature pigment system make them particularly vulnerableespecially before the age of three, the period during which direct exposure is not recommended.
“”Childhood sunburns make cancer of adult skin “hammers the National Cancer Institute, which insists on Public health issue What represents an active prevention from an early age. And the figures speak for themselves: the incidence of melanoma has been multiplied by 5 since 1990.
In a press release, Professor Norbert Ifrah, President of the Inca, alert:
“”The sun exerts on us, young and old, an irresistible appeal, often perceived, wrongly, as harmless; Tanning can even be considered a symbol of good health. However, UV rays are deleterious and promote skin cancers. Faced with the constant increase in skin cancer, we call for an awareness of all and the adoption of extremely simple protective behavior “.
UV rays: gestures that really protect
Many people think that sunscreen, especially with high index, is enough to protect themselves. That’s wrong. Even with a 50 index, It does not filter 100 % of UVand its use alone does not effectively protect. More than one in two parent wrongly considers that regular application is sufficient.
- Avoid exposure between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.when the radiation is strongest;
- Wearing covering clothes, a wide -edge hat and sunglasses with UV filter;
- Seek Permanently, even when the sky is veiled;
- Generously apply a sunscreenadapted to its skin type every two hours.
The tan, meanwhile, is by no means protection. On the contrary, he indicates that the skin has been attacked. “”Tanned skin indicates that DNA has suffered damage “recalls the Inca. Beyond the risk of cancer, it is also A skin aging accelerator.
Stop preconceived ideas: what you think you know about the sun
If the sun is essential for the synthesis of vitamin D, this does not justify exposing themselves without limit. 5 to 10 minutes of exposure of the hands, forearms and face is enough for light skinfrom 15 to 30 minutes for darker skin, from May to September.
And no, self -tanners do not protect. If they give a halé complexion, They do not offer any barrier against UV. Worse, certain food-based food supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers.
Another tenacious idea: Artificial tan as preparation in the sun. Again, the institute is formal: these artificial UVs are responsible for 380 cases of melanoma per year. The cabins are therefore strongly advised.