Not All Fun Under The Sun

To stay safe this summer, get smart about sunscreen.

- Mary Lim

WE CAN RUN but we can’t hide. Whether boutique hopping with designer shades on, popping in for a tea party on a friend’s new yacht or zipping about town in the car with windows up, the sun inevitably catches up with us. And with global warming leading to dryer and hotter climates, it is especially crucial that we play the protection game with more prudence.

UV radiation from the sun comprises UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC, which has the shortest wavelength and therefore less able to penetrate the skin, is filtered out by the ozone, water vapour, oxygen and carbon dioxide. UVB, which has medium wavelength and mostly absorbed by the atmosphere, can hurt the surface layers of skin by causing tanning and sunburn.

UVA, with the longest wavelength, penetrates the Earth’s atmosphere and the deeper layers of skin. By weakening the elastin in skin, it causes skin to become more vulnerable to stretching and bruising, hence slowing repair and renewal. UVA contributes to problems related to photo-ageing such as pigmentation, enlarged pores, acne, wrinkles and sagging. Both UVA and UVB increase the risk of skin cancer, aka the seventh most common cancer among women in Singapore.

So it pays to get a good sunscreen. Use it every day and even indoors (if you are exposed to sunlight, which penetrates the windows at the office), advises Dr Vanessa Phua, a physician at Asia HealthPartners.

A sunscreen is only as good as its ingredients — and how well they suit your skin type. “Check that yours contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, both of which are known as physical blockers,” says Dr Phua. These work like a mirror, that is, by deflecting UV light away from skin, hence are not absorbed by the skin. Physical sunscreens are generally better for sensitive skin type.