There sun protection, to be effective, must be multifaceted. It is already necessary to reduce exposure as much as possible, and not only at the hottest hours of the day, to use clothing protection and to coat the exposed areas with sunscreen. This prevention must concern all year round people who work outdoors (gardeners, police officers, construction workers, etc.) or those who practice a regular sporting activity outdoors.
“Clothing photo-protection represents the first stage of photo-protection,” explains Professor Christophe Bédane, head of the dermatology department at the Dijon University Hospital Center. Hat, sungles, pants and long-sleeved shirt are essential if you want to protect yourself as much as possible. “Not all fabrics offer the same protection against the sun,” says Dr. Comte. There are now specialized garments for sun protection, which have the advantage of being designed in light materials that are pleasant to wear, while being very effective against ultraviolet rays. But on the uncovered areas, sunscreens are necessary. »
Free cream dispensers?
Sun protection products play an important role in prevention, even if they should not encourage longer exposure. “There are protection products based on organic filters that absorb the energy produced by ultraviolet rays. They can be potentially irritating and are less protective against long UVA, continues Professor Bédane. There are also mineral screens which reflect UV rays. They have the advantage of penetrating the epidermis less, of being less irritating, but they are less pleasant from a cosmetic point of view. Tinted forms and micronization improve the acceptability of these products. »
The Dutch authorities have decided to make free sunscreen dispensers available to the population in certain regions to combat the very high level of skin cancer in this country. Dispensers have been placed in schools, universities, parks and other public spaces.