Ferragosto, ‘free’ sunscreens on the beach and watch out for sweat: advice from the expert

It will be a Ferragosto 2024 with record heat, with a ‘red flag’ in much of Italy. The protagonists are sultry heat and sun, from North to South. But between exoduses, trips to the beach and picnics to celebrate the height of summer, the risk of sunburn is also around the corner. How to protect yourself? The experts’ invitation is not to let some ‘skin-saving’ rules remain a dead letter. And everyone can contribute to raising the level of attention, starting with those who manage beach resorts. Word of a dermatologist. “It would be advisable” in these contexts “provide creams to people in the establishments in order to encourage and amplify the prevention education aspectespecially among adolescents who are less inclined to apply protection”, highlights to Adnkronos Salute Francesca Farnetani, professor of dermatology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

“In the summer period you need to pay attention to the effect of sweat on creams – warns – because excessive sweating can lead to cancelling their protective effect, thus giving rise to a problem of sunburn. So in these days when temperatures are very high and sweating is particularly accentuated, It is advisable to use creams in spray form which are absorbed better than to creams or lotions that tend to be eliminated by sweating or to increase sweating even more. Spray creams, on the other hand, are more absorbable and have a less amplifying effect”. And then, repetita iuvant: “Reapplying creams every time after bathing, especially on the face, which is the area most sensitive to solar radiation” is important, the dermatologist highlights.

Another golden rule: “Continue with very high protections throughout the summer period, until the last days of vacation, because the harmful effect of radiation remains even when the skin becomes darker – warns Farnetani – The damage is also and above all long-term, so not only sunburn, which obviously with the increase in color, tanning, with dark hyperpigmentation of the skin, is certainly less of a risk. The long-term effects are the most serious, most harmful and are the appearance of skin tumors such as melanoma or even basalioma in people who are obviously predisposed. This risk does not disappear, it is not destroyed by tanning. So the advice is to continue using sunscreens with high protection, even with tanned skin and to always renew after contact with water”.