Treatment of photodamage to the skin and selection of sun protection products
Prevention of photoaging
In our time, no one will be surprised by the fact of skin aging from the sun's rays, and not prescribing sunscreens in cosmetology and preventive dermatology indicates the incompetence of the doctor in matters of photoaging of the skin and cancer prevention.
Lesya Andriutsa, cosmetologist, dermatovenereologist, clinic «Medicum», trainer of the JES Сosmetology training center
Modern sun protection products are presented on the market in such quantity that even an experienced specialist sometimes finds it difficult to assess the profile of effectiveness and safety of the drugs prescribed.
Types of UV filters
The effectiveness of sunscreens depends on their composition: chemical and (or) physical UV filters. Chemical UV filters protect the skin by absorbing UV radiation, while physical filters protect the skin by reflecting, scattering and absorbing it (depending on the size of the filter particles).
Physical UV filters are mineral pigments, which at a wavelength of more than 400 nm have a reflecting and scattering effect, and at a wavelength of less than 400 nm, in addition to those described above, they also have an energy absorption effect. The following macropigments are most often used in their production: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, calcium carbonate, talc, koalin, mica [1]. The protective ability of these pigment particles in the cosmetic product depends on the number and size of the molecule, the ratio of the refractive indices of light at the boundary between the pigment and the environment, as well as the wavelength of the emitted light and the amount of light absorption.
SPF range
The range of the sun protection factor in cosmetics is quite wide - from 10 to 100. However, the SPF value indicates only the degree of protection against sunburn, but is not a prevention of immunosuppression, induction of skin cancer and photoaging. This fact became the reason for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007 to introduce changes to the concept of determining the "sun protection factor", limiting the maximum protection to 50 and prohibiting the use of sunblocker or sunbloc labels on the product [8].
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