Ripe for the island - Why you should pay attention to UV protection

Whether island hopping in the Aegean Sea, a sailing trip in the Balearic Islands or a diving holiday in the Caribbean: no matter what you plan to do this summer - sun protection should be at the top of your packing list. In this article you will find out why UV protection is essential for permanently healthy skin & what you should pay attention to when choosing your sun care.

Why UV protection? 
Be brown at all costs? No thanks! Excessive exposure to UV light can not only lead to premature aging of the skin, but also serious damage to the skin and eyes. The reason for this are changes in the genetic makeup, which are sometimes irreparable and triggered by UV rays, which can occur even at low doses. Therefore: always apply cream and wear sunglasses!

What does the effect of UV rays depend on? 
A distinction is made between two types of radiation: So-called long-wave UV-A rays penetrate deeper into the skin and carry an increased risk of various acute and long-term effects of excessive sunbathing. UV-B rays do not penetrate the skin that deep, but they can also lead to sunburn, allergies and malignant changes in the skin. 

How sensitive the skin reacts to UV radiation also depends on the individual skin type. 

What skin types are there?
A total of 6 skin types are distinguished:

• Skin type I: very light, extremely sensitive skin, light eyes, reddish blonde hair, freckles; never tans and gets sunburned very quickly
• Skin type II: fair, sensitive skin, blue, gray, green or brown eyes, blonde to brown hair and freckles; hardly tans to moderate and often gets a sunburn.
• Skin type III: light to light brown skin, gray or brown eyes and dark blonde to brown hair, rarely with freckles; tans faster than skin type II
• Skin type IV: has light brown, olive skin, brown to dark brown eyes and dark brown hair; tans quickly
• Skin type V: dark brown skin, dark brown eyes and dark brown to black hair
• Skin type VI: dark brown to black skin, dark brown eyes and black hair

For an initial, rough assessment of your individual skin type, you can here do a self-test. But the safest way to do this is still to your dermatologist determine!

Tips for proper sun care
But what does the skin type mean for sun care? If you are one of the more sensitive Sun-a-holics, you should use care with a high SPF (sun protection factor, 50+) and UV-A and UV-B filters, especially when you are on holiday. In general, you should apply lotion several times a day - especially if you are near or on the water. 

And what about tanning in the shade? Yes, you get tan under the parasol too! Assuming you are on the beach or pool or in another place where the rays are reflected well. You can find more about this in this article.
Important: Please also think of sun protection in the shade!