Learn to look after your skin in the sun and don`t take any risks.

Every summer you hear that you need to be careful with the sun and protect your skin.

But, do you?  And, even more important, do you do it properly?

The skin has a memory and, with the passage of time, all the excesses you have made take their toll, in the shape of lines of expression, wrinkles, freckles, moles, and blemishes or, in some more serious cases, carcinoma, sarcoma or melanoma.

What are the first basic steps to follow?

• Avoid soap or cologne with alcohol. They will cause dark spots.
• Do not sunbathe with make-up If the pores dilate, you run the risk of infection.
• Moisturise your skin well before exposing it to the sun.
• Apply protective cream 30 minutes before you sunbathe.
• Repeat the application every two hours, particularly if you sweat or after a swim.
• Avoid being out in the midday sun. The sun is lower.
• Wear sunglasses or a peaked cap to protect your eyes or use a hat for shade.
• Wear lipstick with sunscreen to protect your lips.
• Pay special attention to your face and neck, especially for the first days.
• Use sunscreen even though it is cloudy. The sun’s rays go through clouds.
• Drink fluids to make up for what you lose when you sweat.
• Discard creams from one year to the next. The filters are lost.
• Apply moisturising cream to refresh and nourish the skin after you sunbathe. Your tan will last longer and you will not peel.

UVA rays help you tan quickly as it activates melanin. This tan does not last long. UVB rays are responsible for a longer lasting tan.

Top quality sunscreen creams have stable filters that are not affected by perspiration and water, and are moisturising, non-irritating and absorb UVA and UVB rays.

A cream with FPS (sun protection factor) multiplies the time your skin can be exposed to the sun without reddening. In other works, if it takes 10 minutes for you to redden without cream, with a sun protection factor of 20, it will take 200 minutes. Going red is a warning sign before burning.

If your skin is fair or pale and your hair, fair, you will redden more easily than if your skin and hair are dark. In both cases, you should use sunscreen.

Do not choose a cream with a factor lower than 15 as it does not protect you and remember that there is no such thing as a total sunblock. Be careful.