Podcast: WHAT DOES YOUR DOCTOR SAY?

Episode: How to protect your skin on vacation?

Leading: Dariusz Litera

Guest: Dr. Marcin Roszkowski, family medicine specialist

Duration: 10 minutes

For many people, sunbathing is a symbol of vacation relaxation. At the same time, exposure to sunlight carries risks for the skin, especially when prolonged, without adequate protection, or in individuals who are more sensitive to UV radiation.

In this episode of the WHAT YOUR DOCTOR SAYS podcast, Dariusz Litera talks to Dr. Marcin Roszkowski, a family medicine specialist, about whether tanning is safe, who should be especially careful in the sun, how to recognize a sunburn, and when to see a doctor with a worrying skin lesion.

The conversation also covers the use of sunscreen, protecting babies and children from the sun, the impact of certain medications on the skin's response to sunlight, and the importance of a daily diet for skin condition.

Full podcast transcript

[00:00:00] Can tanning be safe?

Dariusz Litera:

Sunbathing. For some, it's an essential part of a successful vacation; for others, it's a waste of time and unnecessary exposure to the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.

We're in the midst of another round of holiday travel preparations. Is a summer tan good for our health?

Today, your doctor is Dr. Marcin Roszkowski, a specialist in family medicine. Hello, doctor.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Good morning, Mr. Editor.

Dariusz Litera:

What are the most important rules of safe sunbathing that we should follow while on vacation?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

This is a tricky question because it assumes that tanning is safe. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is against tanning. Every dose of solar radiation affects the skin in some way, and tanning is not safe.

[00:00:44] Who is most vulnerable to the effects of the sun?

Dariusz Litera:

For everyone, or are some more vulnerable?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Some people are more vulnerable. Children, especially infants, the elderly, pregnant women, people with certain chronic diseases, or people taking certain medications.

Dariusz Litera:

And do we really have to be strict about this? Are there no exceptions?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Someone once said that the worst thing to do is to generalize, so never generalize. I think everyone can intuitively assess how much they can and cannot afford.

It is also recommended to expose yourself to the sun a little to produce vitamin D.

[00:01:16] How much sun is enough to produce vitamin D?

Dariusz Litera:

But that little bit is really just a little bit.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Head and shoulders will suffice, say, during these spring and summer months.

Dariusz Litera:

30 minutes a day?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Yes, 30 minutes a day.

Dariusz Litera:

So that the level of vitamin D produced in the body is sufficient for proper functioning?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Yes.

Dariusz Litera:

But we still have to take into account the dose that will allow us to survive November in Poland, to get some of that sun.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

I think it's already included.

[00:01:39] How to recognize a sunburn?

Dariusz Litera:

Now let's imagine the weather is perfect. July, a glorious July. In Poland, there's beach time, frying. Literally everything is sizzling. Sometimes it looks like this on our beaches.

What are the first symptoms of sunburn and what should we do if, God forbid, it happens?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Unfortunately, this comes with a certain delay. These symptoms are similar to those of inflammation, meaning bodily dysfunction, generally: redness, pain, swelling, and excessive heat.

Dariusz Litera:

So we get a fever?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

We're like a crayfish. I'm talking about local symptoms. The fever will only come later, with a large burn.

[00:02:20] What to do if you get a sunburn?

Dariusz Litera:

Okay, is there anything we can do to help ourselves right now, directly? What does a family doctor advise in this situation?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Once we recognize we have a sunburn, we protect our skin from the sun for several days, up to three. There are certain remedies that can be used to soothe irritation, but the condition simply needs to pass.

Dariusz Litera:

What about moisturizing our skin too to prevent it from drying out?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Cosmetics with aloe vera are good, as they soothe irritation. There are vitamin-based products that also slightly improve comfort. However, this condition needs to heal. We remove the causative agent, and the body begins to repair itself.

Dariusz Litera:

And into the shade, into the shade. Do we need to hydrate in any special way? And do we take anything orally in such situations?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

If it's a limited burn, there's no real danger. Even if a slight blister develops, it won't dehydrate you. However, drink adequate amounts of fluids, as you always would in high temperatures.

Dariusz Litera:

Just to feel comfortable.

[00:03:15] What are the long-term effects of sunburn?

Dariusz Litera:

Now, the threat the doctor mentioned at the beginning. The long-term effects of such situations. We must keep them in mind immediately.

Is this kind of incident something that could threaten us in the future, threaten our lives?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Yes. Every sunburn statistically has the potential to contribute to the development of some skin disease, even a potentially fatal one.

Dariusz Litera:

Here we are talking about malignant melanoma.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

We're talking about malignant skin tumors. It could be melanoma, but it could also be carcinomas. There are two types of carcinomas that occur in addition to melanoma.

[00:03:47] What skin changes should a patient be concerned about?

Dariusz Litera:

Do you often see such suspicious changes in your family doctor's practice?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Potentially cancerous lesions are slightly larger, have uneven edges, and are slightly raised.

Dariusz Litera:

Are they tender or not necessarily?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

They may bleed or peel. The patient thinks they've scratched themselves, but the scratch has been there for two or three weeks.

It's also important to remember that they can be multi-colored. For example, if you see a brown, bluish, or black color on a mole, you should consult a doctor.

Dariusz Litera:

Sometimes it happens that the primary care physician simply says: come on, we invite you to see a dermatologist.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Yes. It's very difficult to assess skin lesions in this regard, because each of us experiences more and more of them as we age. Therefore, you should pay particular attention to those with the characteristics I mentioned.

Dariusz Litera:

If something changes, if we notice that one of our moles has been bleeding recently.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

So we go to the doctor.

[00:04:42] How often should I use sunscreen?

Dariusz Litera:

To prevent these kinds of situations, we must apply various measures. Those that protect us.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

They protect against the sun.

Dariusz Litera:

How often should we apply sunscreen for it to be effective?

Because I know the situation: "Well, I put on some sunscreen." Once in the morning, it's 4 p.m. and there were still seven sea baths in that time.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

We apply sunscreen 20 minutes before sun exposure. Some statistics and medical analyses suggest reapplying sunscreen 20 minutes after exposure.

And then every two or three hours. Unless we've been swimming and toweled off, we wear off this protective layer, so we have to reapply.

Dariusz Litera:

Well, that's a nice bottle of cream, do we need to take it with us?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

It must also say SPF 50 or SPF 30. At least 30.

Dariusz Litera:

Below just doesn't protect?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Lower down it provides less protection.

[00:05:33] Is sunscreen alone enough?

Dariusz Litera:

I understand, but if we are really serious about our health, we protect ourselves enough to avoid problems.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Here you still need the help of an umbrella, long sleeves, possibly some airy clothes, preferably longer ones, and a hat.

Dariusz Litera:

Anything that will make us come back as if we hadn't left for the sun.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Something in return. You have to be able to reason, as in everything.

For example, I've noticed that Australians apply sunscreen every time they leave the house. They apply sunscreen to every exposed area. Melanoma is most common there because of the highest sun exposure. And they have a habit of either protecting themselves from the sun or applying sunscreen constantly.

[00:06:05] Why shouldn't babies be exposed to the sun?

Dariusz Litera:

So we already know that there are groups that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of excessive sunlight, and these include, among others, the inhabitants of Australia, but we can also put ourselves at risk if we do not think about our safety every day on such hot days.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

We can put ourselves and our children at risk. Children under six months of age should not be exposed to sunlight. We don't tan infants. Only walking children can experience this joy.

[00:06:55] What medications can increase skin sensitivity to the sun?

Dariusz Litera:

What chronic conditions that we are struggling with should be an absolute contraindication to tanning?

Is there such a thing as if we are taking certain medications or have a disease, we should not go out into the sun?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

I think most people who take these medications are aware of this. However, I recently saw a beautiful photo of a man who had ketoprofen gel applied to his elbow pain, and the gel gave him a beautiful, instant tan in the form of a red rash on his elbow.

So we avoid using these so-called NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, if we expose ourselves to a larger amount of solar radiation.

Some antibiotics, especially tetracyclines, but also drugs such as quinolones, for example some drugs used for urinary tract infections.

Dariusz Litera:

It's not that obvious, is it?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Yes. In general, it is the doctor's responsibility to inform the patient when prescribing this medication that it alters the skin's response to sunlight. Please avoid sun exposure until you have finished taking this medication.

But that was already a problem. Some diuretics can also cause an increased tan, such as the very popular furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide.

Some heart medications, some psoriasis medications. Although psoriasis usually responds well to sunlight and saltwater, some medications can make the condition worse.

Dariusz Litera:

If you are taking any medications on a regular basis, it is worth taking a look at the information and leaflets, as it may be written there in black and white that please do not sunbathe during the treatment.

[00:08:21] Can diet support skin in contact with the sun?

Dariusz Litera:

Is there any supplementation or diet that can help protect against the sun and excessive sun exposure? Perhaps we should change our eating habits a bit?

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

I would look at it more holistically. That's the buzzword: very holistic.

Indeed, what we eat affects the condition of our skin. The condition of our skin will determine whether we respond better or worse to sunlight.

This is where antioxidants come into play. UV radiation is potentially carcinogenic, negative radiation, meaning all the things that cause skin aging are, for example, slightly slowed down.

These are most often the pigments in fruits, so the more colorful fruits and vegetables we eat, the more antioxidants we absorb. It's also believed that a diet rich in vitamin A and vitamin E improves skin condition. For example, saltwater fish.

[00:09:37] End of conversation

Dariusz Litera:

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski, a family medicine specialist, spoke on the podcast "WHAT DOES YOUR DOCTOR SAY?" We'll return to these holiday themes in future episodes of our podcast.

Thank you very much, doctor.

Dr. Marcin Roszkowski:

Thank you very much, Mr. Editor.

Key takeaways for patients

• Sunbathing is not indifferent to the skin, because every dose of solar radiation affects it in some way.
• Children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with certain chronic diseases and patients taking certain medications are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the sun.
• To produce vitamin D, a small amount of exposure is sufficient: head and shoulders, about 30 minutes a day during the spring and summer months.
• Symptoms of sunburn may appear delayed and include redness, pain, swelling, and excessive warmth of the skin.
• If you get a sunburn, you should protect your skin from the sun for a few days and use products to soothe irritation, such as cosmetics with aloe vera.
• Any sunburn can statistically affect the risk of developing skin diseases, including skin cancer.
• You should see a doctor if the mole changes, has uneven edges, is raised, bleeds, peels, or has multiple colors.
• Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before going out into the sun, reapplying after about 20 minutes of exposure, and then reapplying every two to three hours and after swimming and toweling.
• The conversation indicated that the sunscreen should have at least SPF 30, and SPF 50 is also a recommended choice.
• It is worth supplementing sun protection with an umbrella, long sleeves, breathable clothing and a hat.
• Babies under six months of age should not be exposed to sunlight.
• Some medications can change your skin's response to the sun, including some NSAIDs, antibiotics, diuretics, some heart medications, and some medications for psoriasis.
• People taking medications regularly should check the information in the leaflets and follow their doctor's recommendations regarding sun exposure.
• The condition of the skin also depends on the diet; the discussion highlighted the role of antioxidants, colorful vegetables and fruits, vitamin A, vitamin E and saltwater fish.

Information about participants:

Guest: Dr. Marcin Roszkowski, A family medicine specialist with many years of experience in primary care. He also works with patients in the treatment of obesity and in the broadest sense of preventive healthcare.

Presenter: Dariusz Litera, medical editor, health communications specialist, and creator of the podcast CO NA TO TWÓJ ELEKARZ. He has been involved in patient education for years, conducting interviews with specialists in various fields of medicine.

ATTENTION!

This material is for educational purposes only. It does not replace a medical consultation. If you experience any disturbing symptoms, consult a doctor.
Subscribe WHAT DOES YOUR DOCTOR SAY?, if you are interested in reliable medical knowledge and conscious health prevention.