What to do and not to do now that the solar power is so extremely high

Have you reserved a spot in the sun for this weekend? Then read on, because we are dealing with a strong sun intensity of 7 (!) and that means you can burn within a nanosecond. What to do? Skin therapist Annelijn van Ierland from Skin Kliniek just pull on her jacket to ask what is wise of course.

Annelijn, the sun is brighter than normal, what to do?
“The sun strength is 7 this weekend, which is unusually high for this time of year. Especially when you consider that it drops to 3 as soon as it gets a bit cloudy. What should you do? Apply sunscreen frequently. In 10 to 15 minutes your skin can already turn red. Seek shade often, but don't forget that you also have to deal with UV radiation there. So apply sunscreen even when sitting under a parasol and definitely don't sit in the sun at the hottest part of the day.”

Why is it so important to protect yourself?
“Damage from the sun is still very much underestimated. You don't always have to burn; damage starts with just tanning your skin. When you burn, it's very clear that you've been in the sun too long and forgot to protect yourself, but it's not always visible. People love to sit in the sun for a tan because it looks healthy. That's a bit of a short-term thought. UV radiation penetrates much deeper into the skin and can cause problems well below the top layers of skin. You don't see that at first when you have a nice tan, but only later when you notice premature skin aging and pigmentation spots. Also, a buildup of that damage can contribute to the development of skin cancer. Over 50,000 people are told every year that they have this.”

Do you have any sun tips for this sunny week?
“Protect yourself with at least SPF 30, which applies from March onwards. Always apply sunscreen to your face, neck, and hands. But also wear sunglasses, because you need to protect your eyes from bright sunlight. Lips are often forgotten too, while you can really suffer for days from that. With a sun strength of 7 or higher, it's wise to apply sunscreen before going outside and to reapply it every two hours. If you sweat quickly, exercise outdoors, or go swimming, it's important to reapply at least every hour. Preferably use a sunscreen without perfume and denatured alcohol, which is indicated on the bottle as ‘alcohol denat’. And whatever you do, oil is extremely dangerous.”

P.S.: Sat in the sun too long? This is what you should do if you are burned.

Written by: Annelijn van Ierland – Skin Kliniek