We know tanning is bad, but what’s actually happening when those rays touch your skin? We thought we’d get clued in so Future Us will love us for it.
We know tanning is bad, but what’s actually happening when those rays touch your skin? We thought we’d get clued in so Future Us will love us for it.
Did you know you can still get sun damage while sitting in your office? Or that ultraviolet (UV) rays cause 80 percent of facial skin ageing? What about the fact that skin cancer is one of the top 10 cancers in Singapore? Scary, right? What’s more, living this close to the equator means a constant exposure to the sun 365 days a year. That said, it’s imperative to know exactly what’s happening to our skin, especially beneath the surface. And once you know how UV rays really affect you, you’ll be much more motivated to slather on the sunscreen.
To tan or not to tan
No matter what you tell yourself, there’s absolutely no safe way to get a tan. “When one gets a tan, it basically means there is already damage done to the skin. This will cause the inability of the damaged cells to repair themselves, and other problems like skin cancer,” says Dr Lum Yang Xi of IDS Clinic. UV radiation is invisible and is made up of UVA and UVB rays, both of which penetrate the skin causing permanent damage. UVA rays are the ones that age us. They make up 95 percent of the UV radiation that reaches the Earth, which is what actually makes them highly dangerous, as they easily penetrate through clouds and glass. UVA gets into the deep layers of skin (the dermis) causing genetic damage to cells, photo-ageing (think wrinkles and blotchiness) and immunosuppression.
UVB rays, on the other hand, are responsible for sunburn, which is, of course, a significant risk factor for skin cancer. They have a shorter wavelength, which penetrates into the top layer of skin (the epidermis) and damages the cells. It’s the five percent of UVB rays that does the most damage to the skin, as they cause direct injury to the DNA in skin cells. This leads to the mutations that cause surface damage, as well as cancer cells. But don’t think this means UVA rays are harmless; their effects just take longer to surface.
The warning signs
The sun is enemy number one for the skin, as it not only creates initial damage but long-term damage as well. A study that was published in the medical journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology found that the sun’s UV rays accounted for 80 percent of facial skin ageing. “Each cell that has DNA damaged by UV light will store this damage in its memory,” says Emma Hobson, education manager for the International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica. “Then, in years to come, it will emerge as premature ageing due to the effect the sun has had on your skin’s collagen and elastin fibres. This can actually cause mottled pigmentation, as well as coarse and rough skin.”
According to the Singapore Cancer Registry 2010 – 2014, skin cancer ranks seventh in women cancers, with 1,381 cases. The two warning signs to look out for are atypical moles and sun spots. Atypical moles are odd shaped moles measuring about 5 - 10mm wide with uneven colouring, whereas sunspots are generally hard, red, scaly spots on sun-exposed areas of the skin which usually appear on the neck, head or back of the hands.
Red skin = red alert
The most obvious evidence that you’ve let UV rays damage your skin is seeing red. “Sunburn is the delayed UVBinduced redness caused by an increase in blood flow to the skin that begins after about four hours, and is the underlying cause of direct and indirect damage to the DNA,” says Emma. Think of it as a total failure to apply sun protection and a marker for severe UV damage.
Prevent and protect
The best ways to prevent a sunburn is to “avoid the sun at its hottest between 10am to 3pm, and wear sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15 to 30, a widebrimmed hat and protective clothing in darker colours,” says Dr Lam Bee Lan of Ageless Medical Centre.
When a sunburn occurs, “cool off first, since even a cold shower may be too painful. Take a cool moisturising bath to soothe the skin, then take an aspirin to relieve discomfort and inflammation. Also try an over-thecounter hydrocortisone (for more serious cases) or aloe vera cream to reduce inflammation and encourage healing. In cases of severe sunburn, see a dermatologist, as you may require more potent steroid creams and pain relief measures” says Dr Eileen Tan of Eileen Tan Skin, Laser and Hair Transplant Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.
Know your dosage
A 2014 Benchmark Survey by Kao Singapore revealed that only 30 percent of women aged 12 to 49 years old use a sunscreen daily. What is even more startling (and worrying) is that this number has remained unchanged for the past five years, despite the introduction of more suncare products over the past few years. The fact remains that UV exposure can occur anywhere, from sitting in the car to waiting for a bus. “Apply at least one teaspoon of sunscreen on the face. If you have pigmentary problems, apply an extra layer over the pigment areas. Use a sunscreen that has at least SPF 30.
Consuming skin supplements with oral sunblock properties also help,” says Dr Lum. And make sure you apply it 30 minutes before heading out. “Applying it beforehand allows the ingredients (UV filters) to fully bind to the skin to form an adequate protective layer,” says Dr Lam.
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