According to a story surfacing on the Internet of Sirin Murad, a beautician, only slept for a short period of time on a beach in Bulgaria and after sleeping for 30 minutes by the pool, she awoke with painful face skin. She kept relaxing by the pool in the 21-degree Celsius when no sunscreen had been applied by the 25-year-old and the next day, Murad’s face was inflamed and red and her complexion was completely rosy.
According to The Independent, her skin was so tight that when she tried to furrow her brows, the skin on her forehead looked fake. The critical incident of the British beautician Sirin Murad’s ‘plastic head’ took the Internet by storm recently after her forehead wore thin as plastic after being exposed to the sun at a temperature of 21-degree Celsius and taking a leaf from others’ books, netizens and other individuals who witnessed this incident learned the importance of wearing sunscreen.
As experts suggest, prolonged sun exposure has harmful effects on the skin, ranging from skin burns to severe conditions such as plastic skin, photodermatitis and so on. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Tejal Ajmera, MD (Hom) FCH Dermatology and FM Cosmetology, Head Franchise Business at Dr Batra’s Healthcare, revealed, “SPF 30 or higher is recommended for Indian weather conditions. What matters more than the SPF is the frequency with which it is applied; it is best to reapply sunscreen every 3 hours or so. Choosing sunscreen based on your skin type yields satisfactory results; for example, if you have oily skin, a gel or matte-based sunscreen will work best for you.”
She advised, “People with acne-prone skin should use hydrating sunscreen. Sunscreen application and the use of masks and scarves can further reduce the risk of a skin burn. Taking care of the skin can save you from chronic skin hazards and hence, it should be done diligently.” Echoing the same, Dr Mohd Junaid, Head Ayurvedic Consultant at Ayouthveda, asserted, “Sunscreen application is the non-compromised step of everyday skin-care routine for all skin types. No matter whether you’re staying indoors or moving out, sunscreen is a must.”
Adding more to it, he explained that harmful sun radiation (UVA/UVB) penetrates deeper into the skin cells and damage cells’ DNA, attributing to various skin concerns ranging from sunburn, darkening, premature aging and even skin cancer. The expert further explained its importance and encouraged daily applying an antioxidant rich, all natural mineral-based broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 or more that protects skin from harmful sun radiation and helps it fight against free radicals.
It’s imperative to take cautious steps to protect your skin while out in the sun as direct sunlight can expose your skin to UV-A and UV-B rays while prolonged exposure to UV-A rays leads to premature ageing and causes harm to the deeper layer of the skin, damaging collagen and decreasing elasticity of the skin while exposure to UV-B rays causes skin tanning or can also cause skin cancer. In relation to the same, Vimal Bhola, Co-Founder and Chief R&D Officer at Innovist, suggested, “The most essential step to shield yourself against harmful rays is wearing sunscreen daily, it should be a must in your daily travel bag and must be reapplied every 2-3 hours during the day.”
He recommended, “Apart from sunscreen, wear protective clothing in the blazing hot summer heat. Attempting to cover your body can aid in the protection of your skin from the harsh scorching sun. Another consideration is the amount of sunscreen you apply on a daily basis. Follow the 2-finger sunscreen rule where two strips of sunscreen are squeezed out onto both the index and middle fingers from the palm crease to the fingertips. Additionally, remember to apply sunscreen for at least 30 minutes before going outside in the sun. If you are exposed to direct sunlight, you should additionally reapply it every two hours.”