Martin: “Is sunscreen really that important?”

Martijn, 44, does not like winter, but now that the weather is nice, he prefers sitting in the sun as long as possible. Nice bread. W: His skin can handle it very well, because it never burns.

Is sunscreen really necessary? He knows he shouldn’t say it, but he never uses it: he thinks he’s dirty and feels “locked up” by those thick, dirty creams.

Dr. Jetske UlteeMD, a research doctor in cosmetic dermatology: “Yes, sunscreens are really, really important! Martijn thinks it doesn’t need application because it doesn’t burn, and he’s not the only one who thinks so.”

Adverse effects

“But you do use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful effects of solar radiation. Even if your skin doesn’t turn red quickly or tans easily, that still matters.”

“I notice an excess of UV-B rays right away: your skin becomes red. If you get a good dose of UV-B, you won’t feel it. The skin does not burn and does not turn red, but damage can occur. Within However, this “damage” can lead to skin pigmentation, wrinkles, dryness, burning, leathery texture, and even skin cancer.”

Why do many sunscreens feel “dense,” as Martin points out?

Ultee: “I can imagine the feeling Martijn describes. Sun filters (which are in your product to protect you) can be a little sticky and heavy. They were a lot worse.”

fluid or liquid

“Fortunately, there are now plenty of options and I’m sure there is also a Martijn product. So my advice is to try a few and see which one looks nice.”

“It is more beneficial to choose a product with an SPF of 30 instead of an SPF of 50. In his case, it is also useful to take a product that is not waterproof, because it is less viscous and heavy.”

“He could also pay attention to the term ‘liquid’ on the packaging: These products are also a bit more liquid than other somewhat thicker sunscreens.”

Why do sunscreens nowadays only start at 20 or even 30, when in the past you could easily have the factor 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8?

Ultee: “Yeah, my gosh, you used to see people baking with foil and oil without a factor in the hottest part of the day just to get a tan ASAP…”

factor 15

Ultee: “In the past, we were simply less aware of the dangers of sun exposure. Now we know better. The advice now is to protect your skin year-round with a minimum factor of 15, and with more sun exposure with SPF 30 or more.”

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