To deal with these effects in detail, "Your Health" met Dr. Adel Al-Sentli, a consultant dermatologist at King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the International Society for Hair Transplantation. He explained that there are several problems and diseases affecting the skin that abound in this chapter, including: * Allergy From sunlight, which are of several types, including:
Burns resulting from long exposure to the sun (Sun Burn), where the skin suffers upon exposure to the sun severe redness, in addition to the feeling of itching and severe pain in the affected area, and the situation may develop into skin bubbles.
Urticaria resulting from light rays (Solar Urticaria), and this only occurs in a few people, and they are those who are hypersensitive to sunlight, and it appears as swelling and temporary redness of the skin exposed to the sun.
Photodermatitis, which is a type of sensitivity resulting from exposure to sunlight, and it may occur through sunlight only, and some of them need chemicals that stimulate the skin such as perfumes and others until this reaction occurs between the skin, sunlight and chemicals, which is called ( Phytophotodermatitis).
Skin diseases that increase and worsen with exposure to sunlight, such as:
Rosacea, a skin disease that appears as a red rash that affects the face and is accompanied by a burning and burning sensation in the affected area.
Among the diseases that are negatively affected by the sun''s rays is cutaneous lupus erythematosus, which is an autoimmune disease that appears in the form of a rash and redness on the face, where a rash resembles the shape of a butterfly, which is very characteristic of the disease and forms on the nose and cheeks.
Bacterial skin infections: It is caused by infection with bacterial microbes such as (Staphylococcus aureus), which is present on the skin all the time, but as a result of sweating and exfoliating the skin finds its way into the skin and then produces abscesses or boils pus (Abscess) and Impetigo ), Which is a bacterial infection in the surface layers of the skin that most often affects children and athletes and appears as yellowish vesicles in the face area.
Skin fungi: As it is known that fungal microbes grow in humid climates, in the summer and with the heat of the air the sweating increases in the person, so the moisture of the skin increases and then the infection of these diseases increases, including fungi, changing the color of the skin (Tinea versicolor), where it appears in the form of Circular spots opposite to the color of the skin, if the skin is dark then these spots are light in color, and vice versa.
Among the fungal infections of the inguinal fungus (Tinea cruris), which is called infections between the thighs, as we mentioned, sweating frequently occurs in the summer, and with exercise and long walking, this area may be affected by exfoliation, and then it is one of the areas most vulnerable to fungi.
These fungi are in the form of circular red spots with scales on the edges. Another type of fungus is the foot fungus (Tinea pedis), which is in the form of white scales between the toes, especially between the fourth and fifth toes of each foot.
Skin pigmentation: It is one of the effects of summer and the sun in particular, and it is of several types:
Melasma, in the form of dark brown spots on the cheeks, and may extend to the rest of the cheeks and face. Melanoma is caused by the stimulation of melanin-producing cells (melanocytes), which causes these cells to secrete melanin in a large amount when exposed to sunlight.
Freckles, which are in the form of dark brown spots in places exposed to the sun, that is, not only the face, but may extend to affect the neck, upper chest and forearms, and may affect the rest of the body if these areas are exposed to sunlight for a long time, as happens in beaches and swimming pools Tanning beds and tanning salons.
Darkening of the skin color: it is a pigmentation of the skin, so the color of the skin takes a bronze color, and this pigmentation may be a goal that groups of people seek, especially those with light skin. But exposure to the sun to reach this goal may be accompanied by many problems, such as what we mentioned above from sunburn and others, and may result in the long term some serious skin diseases such as skin cancer, as we will explain later.
Sweat rash (Miliaria): This rash results from clogging of the pores of the sweat glands in the skin, which leads to the gathering of sweat under the skin, and leads to inflammation and redness of the skin (Miliaria rubra) and the appearance of white pus pimples (Miliaria pustulosa), and may lead to gathering under the skin (Miliaria profunda). Among the names of this disease is "Nile fever" or "miliaria."
Skin problems resulting from using swimming pools: such as irritation of the skin and severe itching in the body, especially if the amount of chlorine in the pool water exceeds the levels surveyed.
Problems caused by organisms found in beach waters: such as jellyfish (Jellyfish), which causes severe sensitivity to the skin that appears in the form of red lines and is accompanied by severe itching. It is worth noting that a person must wash the skin well with sweet water after swimming in the beaches of the seas in order to protect the skin from the salinity of sea water.
Summer and acne: In the summer, the secretion of sebaceous glands on the face increases, which leads to an increase in acne pimples on the face and back.
Dr. Adel Al-Centli says that the skin can be protected from the diseases that abound in the summer season, as follows:
It is recommended not to be exposed to the sun between 10 am to 4 pm, as the UVA and UVB rays are at their highest levels at this time. The other important thing is to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, especially on beaches and swimming pools, as ultraviolet rays can penetrate the water surface to a depth of 60 cm.
Apply sunscreen (Sunscreen or sunblock): There are several points we wish to pay attention to. Which:
Sunblock cream does not protect from the sun completely, so you should avoid exposure to the sun as much as possible, such as staying under an umbrella or wearing a sunscreen hat.
Protective creams vary according to their composition, and each sunscreen has the strength and degree of sun protection written on it, which is expressed by the "Sun protection factor (SPF)". It is preferable to use a sunblock cream with a protection factor of 30 or more, and the higher the percentage of the protective factor, the better. But the cream must be applied in good quantities to obtain the required protection, and the protective cream should be applied at least 20 minutes before exposure to the sun, and the sunscreen cream must be reapplied every two hours. If the skin is exposed to water and the cream is removed, it must be applied again. And I like to mention that even on a cloudy day, 80% of UV rays reach the ground through clouds.
One of the important things in the summer is keeping away from hot places as much as possible, in order to reduce sweating, and thus the incidence of bacterial and fungal infections and other other skin diseases mentioned previously will decrease.
It is preferable to wear loose-fitting, loose-fitting cotton clothes, as well as light-colored clothes, especially white ones.
Finally, there is a recurring question about how to care for the skin in the summer when using types of cosmetic products such as creams, powders, makeup, etc., and their suitability in the summer.
Dr. Adel Al-Centli answers the following
We recommend not to use more cosmetics and make-up, especially for oily skin, as it leads to closing the pores of the skin, especially on the face.
Also, make-up and makeup should be removed before bed.
Clean the face with soap and water twice a day in the morning and evening (before bed), and preferably if the type of soap is gentle and non-irritating to the skin, and it is preferable to wash the face several times with water, especially if the skin is oily.
Use appropriate creams and cosmetics for the type of skin, especially the face.
For oily skin, it is preferable to use a special cleansing fluid (Tonic), twice daily, to remove the fat so that it is not prone to pimples and pimples on the face.
For dry areas of the skin, it is preferable to use a moisturizing cream in which the percentage of oil is higher than water. As for the feet, it is preferable to put them in water for a sufficient period of time, then use moisturizing creams with a scaling remover such as (Urea).
Excessive fluids: to make up for lost fluids by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day, as these fluids restore the skin''s luster and vitality.
Wearing sunglasses, as they not only protect the eyes, but also protect the thin eyelids and the skin around the eyes from ultraviolet rays, thus reducing the incidence of pigmentation and wrinkles in this sensitive area.
As for poetry, it is affected in this chapter as well, as it is an integral part of the body and is affected by internal and external factors of the person. Among the external factors affecting the health and safety of hair is the sun''s rays, as the hair loses its luster and luster and acquires a dull color. Another factor affecting hair is chlorine that is used in swimming pools. Therefore, we recommend that you wash your hair well after swimming. And since the frequent washing of hair with water causes it to lose its moisture and lead to dryness, split ends, and then falling out, so it is preferable to use conditioner after showering to reduce these effects. As well as the use of hair creams because they moisturize the hair and reduce the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays on the hair.
Dr. Adel Al-Sentli explained that there are skin diseases that improve in this season of the year, including:
Psoriasis: It is a chronic skin disease that appears in the form of red spots and covered with white scales. Psoriasis improves with exposure to UV rays in the sun.
Eczema: It is one of the skin diseases that improve in the summer, especially in coastal areas, where it is negatively affected by the dryness of the skin resulting from dry weather. But, as it is known, the humidity of the air increases in the coastal areas, especially in the summer, so the skin is softened and moisturized, so the skin sensitivity (eczema) decreases.
Manufacture of vitamin D under the skin: It is one of the positive aspects of exposure to the sun. The importance of vitamin D to the bones and the body in general is known. The presence of ultraviolet B (UVB) rays is very important and essential for the manufacture of vitamin D.
Are there long-term effects of exposure to sunlight, especially in the summer?
Dr. Adel Al-Sentli answered yes, as there are long-term effects of sunlight and excessive exposure to it (that is, it occurs after years of repeated exposure to the sun), and these effects include:
