Protect your skin from the sun, even in winter

The appearance of wrinkles, spots and other signs of aging are accelerated by skin exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, especially in winter. For this reason, "in addition to applying a cream at night and restorative sunscreen in the morning, it would be appropriate to make use of oral ," said Salvador Gonzalez, a dermatology professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Harvard University (Boston) and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, USA).

During the summer, ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) is the predominant and primarily responsible for sunburn and skin cancer. However, in winter, the decline in favor of UVB ultraviolet A (UVA), causing the aging of the skin. "The elastic fibers in the skin become insoluble, less collagen and this leads to the appearance of wrinkles and ultimately to accelerated aging of the skin," says the dermatologist.

UVA accounts for 95% of radiation reaching the earth and carry a high degree of penetration into the skin, so that, as well as cause , damages the cellular DNA and contributes to the development of skin cancer .

For this reason, be adequately protected both winter and summer is the golden rule to keep your skin in perfect health. To do this, apart from the usual advice of protection (clothing, sunglasses, sunscreen creams ...), there are some capsules of antioxidants that help prevent the harmful effects of radiation on the skin.

Oral capsules that protect the ultraviolet

"This is a complement to the usual sunscreen creams, as the latter have some limitations, such as the difficulty to extend them in a uniform and homogeneous in exposed areas and the inability to reach some areas like the eyelids" , Says Gonzalez, one of the authors of a review conducted on the latest developments in , published in the journal "Clinics in Dermatology '.

Addition of , sunburn and skin cancer, "Each year, approximately three million people have sight problems (cataracts, among others) by radiation, which demonstrates the need to incorporate measures for eyes, "according to the authors of the work. "These capsules, although they do not have a high protection factor, it fulfilled the role of solar screen."

beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins with antioxidant capacity (E, C), green tea extract, extract polypodium , ... Some of the ingredients of food supplements which are sold as capsules to strengthen the mechanisms of (avoid sunburn and the formation of cancerous cells). Specifically, "the excerpt from polypodium is the only active ingredient that scientifically has demonstrated its effectiveness by mouth in ," says the professor.

These products are especially useful in "the teenagers of skin cancer patients in his medical records and clear-skinned people, those who have skin problems (melasma, for example, a disorder of the skin on the areas more exposed to the sun darken) or have undergone surgery or laser techniques, which must be protected throughout the year with a brighter screen aimed at UVA, "argues the expert.

According to the authors of this review, the best sunscreen meet four basic rules: the reduction of sun exposure, the usual measures of prevention (clothing, sunglasses ...), the use of protective creams and the oral with antioxidant properties.