Published on
Updated
Reading 2 mins.
in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
September 08, 2022
The woman didn’t wear sunscreen for almost 40 years. Now 92 years old, she has a wrinkled neck covered with brown spots.
We know: excessive exposure to the sun promotes aging of the skin. And a recent photo posted by the Daily Mail proves it: a 92-year-old woman found her neck burned, covered in wrinkles and brown spots, after neglecting sunscreen for more than 40 years. Conversely, his face – perfectly protected – is luminous and in perfect health.
A neck covered in wrinkles and spots
The difference between the burned, wrinkled neck and the radiant face shocked many Internet users.
A good thing according to experts from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, who find that these visuals show the “striking difference in sun damage” between parts of the body that were protected (or not) from the sun.
According to them, the use of sunscreen, which allows, among other things, to prevent skin cancer, remains too marginal. Any exposure to the sun is an aggression for the skin and causes irreversible damage.
The health authorities thus encourage people to use (at least) protection 30, and this, daily.
Each year, according to Santé Publique France, approximately 80,000 skin cancers are diagnosed. About 70% of them are basal cell carcinomas.
Consult a dermatologist online
The rules to follow are simple. All you need is reasonable exposure to the sun, avoiding exposure to the hottest hours – between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. – using sun protection factor creams (ideally, 50), and by renewing the cream applications every two hours (more when swimming).
Children must be particularly well protected (sunscreen, wearing t-shirts, caps, glasses, etc.). Hats should also have full brims to protect the entire head.
During water sports, wearing anti-UV clothing is essential.
Finally, in the event of sunburn, it is advisable to take a cool shower and then apply cold water compresses several times a day to the wound. An emollient and healing cream of the Biafine type must then be applied.