insideKENT Magazine Issue 28 - July 2014 | Page 90
HEALTH+WELLNESS
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
MISS NORA NUGENT
CONSULTANT
PLASTIC SURGEON
Stay Safe
in the Sun!
As we come into the summer
months, most of us are looking
forward to and hoping for some
summer sunshine. After the very
wet winter we have just had, it will
be very welcome. However,
Consultant Plastic Surgeon Nora
Nugent warns that we should not
forget to take care of our skin.
Exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun can
cause short-term sunburns and even on cloudy
days the sun can still damage your skin. As well
as the pain when it occurs, sunburn can also
cause long-term damage to skin. Damage from
the sun can lead to skin cancers in later years.
The most common types are basal cell carcinoma
and squamous cell carcinoma. These cancers
develop from different layers of cells within the
skin and most frequently occur on the body parts
that are exposed to the sun most such as the
face and hands. The effects of sun exposure are
cumulative on skin over your lifetime so it is
important to be sun-aware no matter what age
you are.
A less common but more deadly type of skin
cancer is melanoma. Sustaining sunburn has
been associated with an increased risk of
developing melanoma. The number of people
diagnosed with melanoma in the UK is on the
increase and so too is the number of young
adults being diagnosed with melanoma. This is
possibly as a result of an increased ability to take
sun holidays compared to times past but sun
damage to your skin can still occur with the sun
levels that we get here in the UK. If you work
outdoors or enjoy outdoor recreational activities
e.g. golfing, gardening or sailing, it is particularly
important that you protect your skin as it is
exposed regularly for long periods of time.
A few simple steps can help protect your skin
against the effects of the sun. The sun is at its
hottest in the middle of the day so limiting
exposure between 11am and 3pm avoids the
most potent exposure to ultraviolet rays. Wearing
a hat or long-sleeved protective clothing when
out in the sun and using natural shade such as
that provided by trees protects your skin from
excessive sun exposure. Finally using a sunscreen
of at least factor 15 but preferably factor 30 or
higher also helps shield your skin and prevent
sun damage. Sunscreens need to be reapplied
regularly especially when in and out of water.
Young children need to have their skin protected
from the harsh effects of the sun. The skin of a
child is thinner and more delicate than that of an
adult and needs more protection. It will burn
more quickly than adult skin in the sun. Children
also tend to spend more time outdoors; in fact
a considerable portion of your lifetime sun
exposure has already occurred by the time you
reach 18. It is important to apply sunscreen to
children before they go outside and to reapply
regularly particularly if they are playing in water.
Childhood sunburns increase the risk of some
skin cancers in later life such as melanoma.
Getting young children to wear a hat to provide
some shade for them also helps. Sun shades on
the rear side windows of your car will help to
shade children from the sun during car journeys
as windows do not provide full protection against
the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
If you notice any changes in your skin such as
new areas of pigmentation or ulcers that will not
heal, you should get them checked by your
doctor. Changes in existing moles such as an
increase in size, a change in colour or shape,
new onset of bleeding or itching also need to be
checked out and treated if necessary. Early skin
cancers can be treated more easily and effectively
and early treatment can help avoid more extensive
treatment at a later stage.
Another effect of prolonged sun exposure is more
pronounced and premature ageing of the skin.
Fine lines and wrinkles develop more quickly and
extensively in sun damaged skin and uneven
texture and pigmentation of the skin can occur
as well. While modern facial rejuvenation
techniques can treat and improve the appearance
90
of your skin, it is far better for your skin not to
sustain the damage in the first instance.
So enjoy the summer and our lovely outdoors
but please be sun-aware and look after your skin.
Miss Nugent consults weekly at Nuffield
Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital.
For more information or to arrange a
complimentary 15 minute confidential
meeting with Miss Nugent please call
01892 552932 or email
[email protected]
‘Get the Nuffield Treatment’
www.nuffieldhealth.com/
tunbridgewells