An image that provides tangible evidence of the value of UV protection went viral.
The human body is badly affected when directly exposed to ultraviolet rays. They are emitted by the Sun and can cause serious skin burns. That is why the marketplaces are crowded with sunscreens – that shield us from harmful solar radiation.
Numerous skin care experts frequently advise using sunscreen lotions to shield the body from the harm caused by ultraviolet rays.
The debate on the significance of sun protection for the skin was renewed on the internet this week after a picture of a 92-year-old woman who applied sunscreen just to her face for 40 years and not to her neck went viral.
The image was tweeted by Dr. Christian Posch, a skin cancer researcher and skinfluencer from Munich. It first appeared in an academic article in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology in October 2021 that cautioned readers about skin cancer. In an effort to improve prevention, the report notes that “ageing is a discrete and significant inducer of skin cancer that has to be systematically addressed.”
The researcher said in the post that he’s “happy to see this picture going around! amazing!”, reiterating the importance of the article.
Happy to see this pic circulating (>186k ♥️)! Amazing!! UV-damage doesn’t get more graphic.
Don’t forget to read the entire article! UV light is one thing, ageing another! #age#sun#uv#ageing#preventhttps://t.co/jkQbC2hCjS— Christian Posch M.D. Ph.D. (@PoschChristian) September 3, 2022
In the close-up picture, it is easy to see the difference between the woman’s face where Sun Protection Factor (SPF) was applied and areas of her neck where it wasn’t. Her cheek has been shielded from UV rays, but her neck is showing signs of skin damage.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measure of how much solar energy (UV radiation) is required to produce sunburn on protected skin (i.e., in the presence of sunscreen) relative to the amount of solar energy required to produce sunburn on unprotected skin. As the SPF value increases, sunburn protection also increases.
The image highlights that through clinical examination, it was possible to verify the difference in skin tones “with a different sign of solar damage”. However, the text does not say more about the current conditions of the elderly woman.
After viewing this picture of this trending tweet, anyone who believes that sunscreen should only be used on the face or during times of intense sun exposure, such as at the beach, should give it some serious thought.