Sun Skin Summer

Early morning sun is a glorious experience and  gracious benefactor to the human body, Ultraviolet rays from the sun activate the cholesterol on the skin to become Vitamin D that is transformed to the liver. This is converted to a hormone that facilitates calcium absorption in the gut and deposition in the bone for our daily sustenance and sturdy stance, respectively. This is the perfect time to bask under the sun and revel in its brilliant splendor, the pleasurable sensation and manifold health benefits.

Or so it seems.

As mid-day sun approaches, the tranquil scenario briskly changes into a tempestuous one. The serene becomes searing. Temperatures soar and the sun’s rays lash unabashedly on the hapless skin. 10 AM until 4 PM is the dangerous time to be out in the sun sans protection, the maximum intensity being 11 AM to 2 PM. Sun worshipers collect the bulk of damage, namely sunburn, heat stroke, skin pigmentation, cancer and photoaging.

What would summer be like without a trip to the beach, a dip in the pool, a swing in the golf course, or a stroll in the park? Therefore, what would summer be like without the classic sunburn? Redness, warmth, pain and swelling of the skin seem to be the fashion statement during this season. A quick fix is to apply a soothing lotion, take pain relievers and wear it proudly because it’s cool and trendy.

Heat stroke is a summer threat that may have grave consequences. In the setting of activity in extreme heat, temperatures rise and hit greater than 40.5 C, making the skin hot, dry and unable to sweat. The breakdown of the thermoregulatory system may be accompanied by mental confusion, coma and seizures — and acute medical emergency. The goal is to lower the body temperature at all costs and by any means available, such as immersion in ice cold water or basically a cool environment.

Sun exposure is tantamount to deposition of melanin. This brown pigment is predominantly present in Asian skin and is largely protective against skin cancers. Melanin is stored in cells called melanosomes are relatively small, while in black skin, these cells are greater in length and larger in diameter.  This translates to an increased incidence of skin cancer in the Caucasian population.

Asians, on the other hand, are prone to develop brown patches on the cheeks called melasma. This is a typical example of sun-induced pigmentation, which may be predisposed by genetics, oral contraceptive pils, pregnancy and the haphazard application of exfoliants and whitening products . These bleaching medications are extremely sensitive to the sun and may inadvertently burn the skin under UV light to produce disfiguring marks.

What could be most devastating than to see a long time quiescent mole evolve into skin cancer called melanoma? The incidence is quite low, only three percent, according to Fitzpatrick. Needless to say, sun exposure is a major risk factor, as well as genetic predisposition, smoking, chronic trauma and scars, especially for the more common forms of skin cancer like squamous and basal cell carcinoma. Any prolonged growth on the skin with hard consistency, ulcerative surface and blood vessel proliferation, particularly on an elderly individual, warrants medical attention.

Telltale signs for a malignant transformation of a previously black or brown, well-rounded, flat or dome-shaped mole may be summarized into ABCDE: A for asymmetry; B for irregular borders; C for the presence of blue-black, red and white hues; D for increased diameter, and E for elevation. Presence of these as well as itching, tenderness and bleeding may be a harbinger of the dreaded cancer.

Culminating the list of sun-induced skin damage is photoaging brought about by cumulative exposure to the sun throughout the years without photoprotection. Dry, coarse, thinned out, lusterless, lax and sagging skin with fine lines, wrinkles pigmentation and small red vessels ensure on sun-exposed areas.

To spare ourselves from the sun’s watch on our skin, photoprotection is crucial. Avoidance of sunlight between 10 AM to 4 PM, use of protective clothing such as wide-brimmed hats and umbrellas, as well as regular use of sunscreens are imperative. Use of sunscreens enriched with UVA and UVB blocking and absorbing chemicals with SPF value of 15 and preferably 30 is recommended. SPF is sun protection factor equivalent to the efficacy of photoprotection of the number of of times one is protected from UV. Proper application of sunblock is to apply it to 30 minutes before exposure and to re-apply after sweating or swimming.

UV is encompassing as it is ever-present in daytime in varying degrees, traversing through windows and clouds, emanating from artificial light sources and radiating against the pavement bouncing its way to the skin.

As the sun goes down, we contemplate on what the day has been to us. Meanwhile, if we take it literally, we can also ponder on how the sun has been to us. It is either a friend or foe. A friend becuse it is our foremost source of energy and light. Without it, the world will be devoid of life. A foe because an excess of it can ruin the skin at the very least or take the life that it gave in the first place.