With the warmer sun, it is quite common for you to be reminded at all times how important it is to use sunscreen on your face and body to protect yourself from damage from the sun's rays.
What few people know is that this sunscreen routine is vital even for those not so exposed to the sun, as artificial lights (known as visible light) also damage your skin as they alter the skin's DNA (like the sun). does, causing blemishes and accelerating aging). Moral of the story: Even if you go from home to office and barely get sun on the way, your skin also suffers.
Natural X Artificial Light
The effect of visible light is not as alarming as that of the sun (about 67% of our skin's free radicals are generated by the sun's ultraviolet rays, 33% are generated by artificial lights), but they are also responsible for premature aging and aging. by the appearance of blemishes, as they alter the pigmentation of the skin.
Being exposed to artificial light for 8 hours is about one minute and 20 seconds of sun exposure on a summer day. Therefore, the effects are not as desperate as those caused by sunlight, but that does not mean that you can avoid preventive care. Whiter and sensitive skins suffer the most.
Is any light bulb bad?
Warming lamps, such as dichroics, which are widely used at home because they are cheaper, emit rays that are very harmful to the skin. Fluorescent lamps are less aggressive and represent only a minimal amount of danger, yet our skin is not 100% immune to it, which forces you not to neglect the protector.
And don't forget: In addition to ceiling lamps, refrigerator lights, desk lamps, dental office reflectors, and your computer, these can all damage your skin to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the exposure period and are very close to the face.
The unknown factor
As the general concern is with the sun, there is little information about the damage caused by artificial lights, ie most commercially available filters only block the sun's rays and do not provide adequate protection against the light emitted by the lamps. The most appropriate in this case is to associate the sunscreen with the use of bases with SPF above 30, as they guarantee a physical barrier against light, keeping the radiation away from your skin. That way you avoid developing melasmas.
Tanning
This is the worst of all artificial lights, even radiation from lamps can be more harmful to the skin than sun exposure. Using artificial tanning does not free you from suffering problems such as skin cancer, blemishes, aging and even severe burns. Worse yet, it even increases and speeds up those risks.
How to choose visible light shield
The only type of product that blocks the effect of visible light on the skin is physical filters, which reflect and disperse light energy, building a physical barrier to solar radiation.
In this case, you can opt for a base or that thicker filter (which turns white), which has zinc particles and acts as a protective film, preventing radiation from overcoming the skin. But remember: your dermatologist can help you make this choice by bringing you more security.
Your care routine
For those who work indoors and do not sweat as much throughout the day, the ideal is to pass the sunscreen twice a day: early in the morning and after lunch. This on both the face and arms, hands and other areas that are exposed without the protection of clothing, for example.
If you work in the street with direct sun exposure, the most guaranteed is to apply the filter every two hours or after sweating a lot, ok?
Use a face filter (it is more concentrated and protects better) and another for the body. Those who are whiter should opt for SPF above 30 and the brunettes are already protected with a factor of 20 or 30.
Key & Peele - Continental Breakfast (April 2024)
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