Protect from UVA rays

The Sun & Your Skin  Facts about sun It emits different rays which might be useful or harmful to humans It is essential for various important functions like Vitamin D synthesis, warmth However some rays are harmful and can cause sun allergies & skin cancers. These rays are called ultra violet rays (UV rays). Ultra violet rays can penetrate the skin to cause harm to it

How do UV rays harm the skin?  • There are 3 types of UV rays UVA, UVB, UVC  • UVA rays cause skin Ageing and skin pigmentation  • UVB rays mainly cause Burning • SPF measures only UVB rays. A product with SPF level of 15 absorbs 93.3% of UVB rays. • UVC rays are absorbed by the ozone layer

How UVA rays work • UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin, causing deep tissue damage. • UVA rays contribute to skin cancer by supressing the immune system. Albert Kligman, 200 AAD interview entitled “Is daily Photo-protection a rational ideal?” UVA rays are Present:   The skin has its own means of defence against solar aggressions. Tanning: the skin increases its production of protective pigment: melanins, which are capable of absorbing part of the UV radiation.Thickening of the epidermis: in response to UV attack, the epidermis gets thicker, this is the corneal protection barrier. It also reflects and absorbs part of solar radiation. Internal protection: certain enzymes act in order to disactivate the free radicals involved in the deterioration of DNA. Others intervene to detect and repair any anomaly occurring at DNA level. Such natural methods are always insufficient in cases of sun abuse How to choose a sunscreen? A sun-care product is built around a filtering system, which should consist of : An association of filters that absorb the sun’s UV rays and keep them from penetrating the skin. Mineral pigments that reflect UV rays and complement the filtering system. It is indispensable to chose a protection factor which is adapted to your phototype, making sure it offers dual UVA and UVB protection. HOW TO CHOOSE A VICHY SUNSCREEN? Choose your sunscreen based on your ‘SUN CARE PROFILE’ Sun care profile is determined by your Resistance in the sun (frequent tanning or burning) Extent of sun exposure Skin type What is sun protection factor (SPF) ? It is defined through a European recommendation stemming from a test carried out on a panel of phototypes in order to be more representative. It represents the level of protection that a sun care product offers against sun burn (e.g., IP 15 multiplies by 15 the skin’s own protection capacity against sun burn). It is calculated according to the ratio between the minimum dose of UV energy necessary to provoke sun burn on non protected skin compared with skin protected with a sun care product. What is the UVA protection index ? It indicates the level of protection a sun care product offers against UVA (e.g., a UVA 16 multiplies by 16 the skin’s own protection capacity against UVA.)  It is calculated according to the ratio between the minimal dose of UVA needed to provoke a pigmentation on non protected skin compared with a skin protected with a sun care product (the PPD method today being the most reliable, carried out in vivo on consenting subjects with different phototypes Tips for sun protection Protect the skin with a good sunscreen even when the sun is hiding because the most dangerous rays pass through clouds. In the sun do not forget to use sunglasses, hat and a good sun screen. The best form of protection is clothing. Excessive sun exposure is dangerous. Avoid going out in the sun between 12 noon and 4 pm. No exposure to the sun for children below the age of 3 years.