Dubai: With the temperature rising to peak levels, summers in the UAE promise to test the endurance levels of everyone who dares to go outdoors.
While a little sun now and then is harmless and even necessary, continual and intense exposure can have serious consequences.
Skin cancer, premature ageing of the skin, sunburn, eye damage (cataracts), severe dehydration and suppression of proper functioning of the body's immune system are some of the more common problems.
Dr Mona Adly Bessada, a leading dermatologist, said that on top of the more obvious effects of sun exposure, there can also be freckles, hyper pigmentation, and more importantly, "wrinkling and yellowing of the skin".
She said that most people underestimate the consequences of sunburn and exposure to the sun, assuming that it does not have a lasting effect, even though it can be very detrimental to their health and appearance.
Dr Ekramullah Al Nasser, medical director of the Dubai-based Dermacare Skin Centre, and the Middle East coordinator for the skincare programme said: "The number of acute sunburns over a period of time in any individual's life actually determines the potential risk of skin cancer in his/her adult life, mainly in middle age. These things manifest themselves through accumulative skin damage and in certain [cases], genetically-predisposed people can end up [with] manifestations of various types of skin cancer," he explained.
The peak times are between 10am and 4pm, he said, warning that exposure during these times is dangerous because of the sheer intensity of the sun.
Dr Vandana Rajesh Kadam, who works in the Kaya Skin Clinic, said that the extent to which an individual's skin is affected also depends on the skin type, with fair-skinned people being more at risk than dark-skinned people.
As a practitioner of skin care diagnosis and treatment, Nasser has treated a lot of skin cancer patients, and observed that they are mostly of a relatively young age, as the skin of children is much more sensitive than that of adults.
He said this trend has increased over the last few years. "A lot of habit formation [and learning] goes on at an early age, so children should be made to learn a cautious way of living where certain precautions are taken," he said.
He suggested that these precautions could include applying sunscreen of SPF 30 plus on the exposed parts of the body.
Have you ever been sunburnt? Do you regularly wear sunblock? How do you modify your diet during summers?
Your comments
What I am worried about is the construction workers who are out in the sun. It might even be hard for them to buy suitable sun creams.
Sati
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 04, 2009, 12:14
