Sunburns and solar allergies: we tell you everything !

Go directly for a uniform tan, avoid the lobster red stopover, forget Biafine. This Summer, no excuses, our super dermatologist, Claire Sibon, shares with us all the great attitudes to have in the sun. Read carefully before going out in the sun. So happy tanning and be sure to go out covered!

YES ! they are useless, and just increase your risk of skin cancer. There is a false idea in terms of skin preparation in terms of sun. It really should be avoided no matter what kind of skin you have, even in small doses. In Australia for example, UV cabins are definitely banned.

For the time being, there is no way to create a « real » artificial tan. It’s not dangerous, but it does help tanning nor having a more efficient tan in terms of UV or a long lasting tan. However, special capsules and food supplements enable to colour skin just like a self-tan.

The most important, is the index of protection. If you want true protection, aim for a 30 or 50 SPF. And contrarily to preconceived ideas, you can tan with these indexes, because protection is never total. In fact, the term « total » sun-screen is no longer allowed.

Efficient protection entails applying a sufficient quantity of product. Did you know how the protecting indexes were determined for a sun cream? By using the equivalent of a ping pong ball for the body. Who really does that ? Nobody !

Also be careful of oils, sprays and mists, they are good products, if you dose them properly. For kids, index 50 is mandatory.

Every 3h, without taking into account the « waterproof » indication on the packaging. In the water, you don’t necessarily realize it, but you take in huge amounts of UV. So, you can lather on cream before going swimming and afterwards.

However, using cream does not mean you should do away with other measures to protect yourself from the sun: a parasol, avoid the warmest hours of the day (between noon and 4pm in France), wearing protective clothing, sunglasses and a wide brim hat (7cm to be well protected). With a cap, the sun could reach your ears, a definite risky area… If you have particularly sensitive skin, think of Lycra textiles with anti UV treatment, that one finds in main sports stores.

In a tropical country with sun at its zenith, if you have clear skin, SPF 50 is not enough. You should not go out in the sun at all. Creams also have their limits. In very warm countries, you should not sit out the sun. It’s totally possible to have outdoor activities, at the beach under a parasol, but no exposure.

You don’t necessarily think of it, but you should also protect yourself in town. A study showed that in Paris, with the reverberation of the sun on façades, on a bright sunny day in July, it’s exactly like being by the seashore.

Don’t count on your 15 or 20 SPF index cream, it’s not enough. However BB creams with SPF 30 are very good. For light or intermediate skins, better start off on a real index 30 sun screen.

No, but you can cheat. Certain solar products already integrate self-tanning, that colours skin. But it’s not « tanning ».

In regards to self-tan as such, you can use it, but you must keep in mind that it’s not a solar protection.

One should be aware that a sunburn is just like a first degree skin burn. Year after year, the body’s repair system is bypassed, the DNA is no longer repairable, and this is how the cell can become cancerous. So try and avoid sunburns, it’s very important.

Too late? Moisturize your skin with a heavy cream. It alleviates unpleasant sensations linked to sunburns, but it will not reverse the negative effects that already affected cells. The damage is done, it cannot be repaired.

For the face, use a vitamin C serum with an anti-oxidant effect.

Small itchy buttons on the cleavage or the arms? It’s most certainly polymorphic light eruption (PLE), the most frequent sun allergy. Nothing serious, but it should be considered as an alarm signal.

The best way of avoiding it ? Exposing yourself very progressively. Concretely the first day, you cover up as much as possible. Then, you peel off the layers little by little, 5 minutes more every day with your 50 SPF sunscreen all summer long.

Too late? It will last a few days, but never very long. It can be treated with antihistaminic pills and cortisone creams to alleviate the nuisance. But prevention is more efficient.

Spots reveal the cumulative effects of sun on skin during an entire life. Everything depends on the genetic patrimony, from one’s natural propensity for pigmentation and past exposures. Anti-pigmentation serums do not work, because the pigment is really deep.

They can be treated in Winter with liquid nitrogen or by laser when there are really a lot. Even on the face. It works quite well, but prevention is best.

Thank you to Doctor Claire Sibon, dermatologist. Consultation at the Ambroise-Paré Hospital and at her private cabinet, 61 Boulevard des Invalides, 75007 Paris. 01 40 09 16 00