When my mother was little, sun protection was not a priority. A typical picture from that time was bodies lounging in the sun by the sea, often colored crayon-red by intensive sunbathing. The sentence “it will turn into a beautiful brown in two days” is well remembered by my mother to this day.
Effective sun protection was only possible with modern UV filters. The development in this area was extremely fast, considering that our first products, which my grandfather developed almost fifty years ago, had a SPF 3 sun protection factor that was hardly to be outdone at the time.
When we then "strengthened" our sun protection in the early seventies and launched it with a protection factor of 6, my grandfather believed that an even higher protection factor had no future, because no one really needed it.
My father's situation is different: he developed sun products with a higher sun protection factor because he realized that people's work and leisure behavior was changing and that their skin was exposed to intense solar radiation for longer and longer.
Today we face new challenges. Our way of life has negative consequences for the earth's ozone layer - a protective shield that absorbs electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet spectral range. In particular, UV-B radiation from the sun, which is harmful to life and which can also cause skin cancer, for example, is therefore no longer completely absorbed. As a cosmetics manufacturer, we also take these processes into account with ever higher sun protection factors.
What Do We Need the Sun for?
Sun rays give us warmth, they promote the release of the happiness hormone serotonin, increase our well-being and increase our performance. They enable vitamin D synthesis in the skin, which has a positive effect on the immune and nervous system as well as the metabolism. That is why skin diseases such as neurodermatitis are also treated with it. Customized sun is therefore important so that the body can produce sufficient vitamin D.
What You Should Know About Sun Rays
Sunlight consists of different waves, with different wavelengths. The shorter the wave, the higher its energy content and the more dangerous its radiation. Long-wave light, which we perceive as heat radiation, is less dangerous.
Medium- to short-wave ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation) is important to us, since it has a physiological effect on the skin: It is divided into three areas: UV-A, -B and -C. UV-A radiation tans the skin, but also lets it age faster. UV-B radiation is necessary for the formation of vitamin D, but can also cause sunburn. The most dangerous of them is short-wave UV-C radiation, which fortunately is completely filtered through the atmosphere.
The harmful effects of sun rays result from the fact that they generate many free radicals in the skin, which tend to uncontrolled chain reactions. The result: sunburn and premature skin aging. How long you can enjoy the sun without getting sunburned can be estimated from the color of your skin, hair and eyes as well as the pigmentation. However, please note that you cannot be 100% protected. You always get some UV radiation.
Then there is the UV index (UVI). It is an internationally recognized measure of ultraviolet radiation that is effective against sunburn. The index value depends on various factors. This includes the height of the location or area for which it is calculated, the latitude, time of day and season, position of the sun and cloud cover. The index indicates the highest, sunburn-prone radiation of a day, which is usually reached around noon. From a value of UVI 3, sun protection measures are recommended. The higher the UVI value, the higher the sun protection factor and the more extensive the protective measures should be: In addition to the sunscreen, this also includes skin-covering clothing, sun hat, sunglasses and a place in the shade. A value greater than 5 is considered high radiation exposure. The current UV index can be called up via most weather apps and online weather services.
As an indication of which skin type you belong to, you will find the most common classification of the individual types according to the American dermatologist Thomas Fitzpatrick in this blog post. The additional information on the skin's own protection and sun protection are only rough guidelines. Since every skin reacts individually to the sun, it is generally advisable to consult a doctor.
Also important to know: Children's skin is not classified according to skin type. Always prefer the shade with small children, never expose them to direct sun if under one year old and protect exposed skin (even in the shade!) from harmful UV rays with a high sun protection factor of 30+.
