The Power of Sun Protection

With the growing trends of peelings, anti-aging creams and beauty injections to achieve youthful skin, we are skipping the most important step to prevent photo-aging and skin problems earlier with sun protection. SPF is the most basic and important method of skin protection and skin care.
A common misconception is that sunscreen is only needed in the summer. The reality is that sun protection is essential all year round to prevent photo-aging and skin cancer.

How and Why Our Skin React to Sunlight?

In the 1920s, while tanning was seen as a sign of health and beauty, beach vacations encouraged people to spend long hours in the sun to achieve a golden tan. This led to an increase in skin problems and has raised awareness of the importance of sun protection to this day.

Tanning is actually our body's way of defending itself against UV radiation. Melanin acts as our natural sunscreen, creating a tan by protecting skin cells from UV damage. However, excessive exposure to the sun can cause sunburn, leading to an inflammatory response and deeper melanin production. While darker skin has more natural protection, all skin types need additional sun protection.

The sun is the primary source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, emitting UVA, UVB and UVC rays. However, they are not all equally dangerous to humans. For example, type C radiation is trapped in the ozone layer and does not penetrate further than the stratosphere. Only 5% of UVB radiation reaches the skin (it is partially blocked by glass and clouds), but it is responsible for the intensity of tanning and mutations that lead to cancer.

However, 95% of the type A rays are found within the earth's surface. Neither the ozone layer, nor glass, nor the epidermis becomes an obstacle for them. The radiation penetrates deep into the dermis.

Sunlight and Skin: The Balance Between Health and Harm

Solar irradiation has several beneficial effects, most notably the UVB-stimulated production of vitamin D in the skin, which is essential for bone health. In addition, sunlight triggers the production of nitric oxide, which helps lower blood pressure, and has antidepressant effects, improving mood and mental health.

On the other hand, UVA exposure causes photo-aging, thins the epidermis and increases the risk of cancer by generating free radicals that oxidise skin cells. This damaging process occurs throughout the year, highlighting the importance of continuous sun protection.

Under ultraviolet radiation, DNA can mutate when two neighbouring nucleotides are joined together incorrectly. While the body can often repair this damage, in severe cases cells may self-destruct to prevent the faulty DNA from being passed on. If repair or self-destruction fails, mutations can accumulate, potentially leading to cancer.

Skin cancer most commonly develops on exposed areas of the body, especially the face. The danger of this process is that it can occur not only during the warm months of the year, but at any time of the year when the face is exposed to the sun.

Shedding Light on UV Radiation and Sun Protection: What Do Consumers Know?

It's a common misconception that the sun only affects our skin when it's warm and clear. Even on cloudy days, the sun can cause photo-aging and pigmentation. In addition, UV radiation affects all age groups and aggravates conditions such as acne by thickening the epidermis and trapping sebum and bacteria. Sun protection is therefore essential for everyone, all year round.

When choosing a sunscreen, the first thing to look for is the level of protection provided by the SPF, or Sun Protection Factor. SPF values range from 15 to 50+, with higher numbers offering greater protection. For example, SPF 30 means your skin can handle 30 times more sunlight than it can without protection. High SPFs, such as 30 or 50, are important in summer and winter when UV rays are most intense.

Sunscreens use either chemical or physical UV filters. Chemical filters absorb UV radiation, while physical filters reflect it. Chemical UV filters work by mimicking the way melanin works. They absorb UV energy, become excited and then release this energy as harmless heat, protecting our skin from potential damage. Their effectiveness depends on their ability to absorb different wavelengths of UV light, making them an essential component of sunscreens.

Our New Product Line for The Ideal Sun Protection Solutions: BergaSun

The BergaSun range consists of four chemical UV filters. BergaSun BEMT, BergaSun DHHB, BergaSun EHT and BergaSun EHS. These UV filters not only play an important role in protecting against harmful UVA and UVB rays, but also provide an excellent basis for the development of modern sunscreen formulations.

BergaSun BEMT is an effective oil soluble broadband filter that effectively blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Its high photostability makes it particularly useful for stabilizing other sunscreens.

BergaSun EHS has good solubility in cosmetic oils and acts as a solvent for other UV filters.

BergaSun EHT offers an effective solution for UVB protection.

BergaSun DHHB offers highly effective oil soluble UVA filter.

The BergaSun range includes four modern organic UVA/UVB filters, each designed to meet modern sun protection needs. To ensure optimal performance and avoid problems such as crystallization and insufficient SPF, proper compatibility and solubility testing is essential prior to formulation. By prioritizing these steps, we can achieve the ultimate goal of maintaining healthy, beautiful skin.

For more information and FAQ`s about the incorporation of our Sun Protection Solutions you can contact us.

Have a look at our range of Sun Care Applications Products!