UV Rays and Their Effect on Your Skin Microbiome
You long for the warmth of the sun on your skin and would love to spend the whole day outside? We completely understand! But before you give yourself over to the sun, there are a few things to keep in mind to protect your health! Because UV rays can affect the skin microbiome.
Excessive sun exposure can kill the good microbes on the skin, disrupting the balance of the microbiome. This can lead to a change in the composition of the microbiome, which in turn can make the skin more susceptible to infections and inflammation.
Additionally, UV radiation can also contribute to the formation of free radicals, which can further impair the microbiome. Therefore, it is important to protect yourself from excessive sun exposure by, for example, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen with a high UV protection factor.
7 Sunscreen Tips: What You Should Pay Attention To
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Choose a day cream with SPF suitable for your skin type.
Mineral UV filters like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide provide safe protection against UV rays. Chemical filters can cause allergies and penetrate the skin. Mineral creams reflect the sun’s rays and offer immediate protection but need to be applied more frequently. Oil-free, alcohol-free, non-comedogenic, mattifying mineral sunscreen is ideal for oily skin. Soothing ingredients like chamomile extract are suitable for sensitive skin.
Our tip: Sunscreens for babies offer extra protection for sensitive skin. Use enough sunscreen and care for dry skin with aloe vera extract or glycerin. Moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, or E are important for mature skin.
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Don’t forget UVA protection:
UVB rays are mainly responsible for sunburn. The SPF indicated on sunscreens primarily shows protection against UVB rays. However, a good sunscreen should also promise protection against UVA rays. These penetrate deep into the skin and accelerate the skin aging process. Excessive exposure can also trigger skin cancer.
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2g of sunscreen:
About 2g of sunscreen should be applied to the face and neck. The SPF indicated on the packaging is adjusted in the lab for amounts of 2mg/cm2 of skin. If you use only half of that, it’s like using only half the SPF, if any at all. Theoretically, this means that if you apply an SPF of 50, you can stay in the sun fifty times longer than without sunscreen. However, sun protection decreases due to activities like swimming and sweating. So reapply approximately every 2 hours.
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Read the ingredients carefully:
Mineral UV filters like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are safe and well-tolerated but can leave a white cast on the skin. For chemical UV filters, the ingredients should be checked carefully, as some can penetrate the skin and enter the body. Examples include benzophenone-3, benzophenone-4, benzophenone-5, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, homosalate, octocrylene, or octyl methoxycinnamate. Fragrance-free sunscreens are important to avoid phototoxic reactions and, in the long run, sun allergies. Active ingredients like vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamin E, C, and Q10 can neutralize free radicals and help the skin repair itself, making them popular ingredients in our creams!
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Speaking of ingredients:
Octocrylene is an ingredient found in many sunscreens. It helps protect our skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation.
However, octocrylene can produce a substance called benzophenone through a certain chemical process. Interestingly, research shows that up to 70% of the benzophenone in these sunscreens can penetrate the skin and enter our bodies.
In a study of 16 sunscreens from various well-known brands, benzophenone was detectable even before the creams were subjected to a simulated aging process. After this process, which corresponds to about one year, the amount of benzophenone in the sunscreens and day creams had significantly increased. This is important because the question of whether benzophenone can cause cancer is still being investigated. Some studies suggest it may be carcinogenic. So if you are concerned about the potential risks of octocrylene, there are alternatives. There are sunscreens on the market labeled "reef safe" or "mineral" that instead use the aforementioned zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to protect the skin from UV radiation. These substances are physical filters that reflect the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them like chemical filters, and they contain no octocrylene.
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Don’t forget to take a sun break:
The process of neutralizing free radicals is exhausting for the skin. So take breaks when you’re lying in the blazing sun. This is especially helpful in preventing sun allergies. Even those who feel more comfortable with a tan should also spend time in the shade, as tanning occurs after just a few minutes of sunbathing. It only takes about 15 minutes for the skin to become so stressed by the sun that it tans more slowly.
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After-sun care:
No UV filter offers absolute protection. After a day in the sun, the skin is stressed and usually very dry. Therefore, moisture is extremely important for the skin after sun exposure. As mentioned earlier, vitamin E and Q10 are good free radical scavengers. However, an after-sun cream should contain dexpanthenol, as well as vitamins C and A, to repair and regenerate the damage caused to the skin. You can also easily make after-sun treatments yourself. For example, you can use quark or yogurt as a mask and remove it before it dries. Aloe vera application is also an effective method, as it is cooling, moisturizing, and anti-inflammatory.
In Summary
UV rays can affect the skin microbiome because the rays can damage the DNA of skin cells and trigger inflammation. This can lead to harmful bacteria overtaking beneficial bacteria and impairing the skin microbiome. Excessive exposure to UV rays can also contribute to a change in the skin’s pH, which in turn can promote the growth of harmful bacteria. It is important to protect your skin from excessive UV radiation. This can help preserve the skin microbiome and promote its health.
It is also always a good idea to consult a dermatologist or pharmacist for advice on safe and effective sunscreens that suit your skin type and specific needs. Finally, don’t forget that sunscreen is just one of many measures you can take to protect yourself from UV radiation—protective clothing, hats, and shade are also very important, especially during the hottest hours of the day.
