Cristina Hodgson
DERMATOLOGISTS have advised against the use of sanitiser gel on the beach because it can cause burns.
Experts from Malaga warned of skin irritation caused by using hydroalcoholic in the sun.
Especially at risk is sensitive skin such as children’s.
Experts recommended hand-washing with soap and water as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
According to Marta Frieyro, dermatologist at the Hospital Quironsalud Marbella, the high percentage of alcohol, in combination with sunlight, could cause skin burns.
The rapid absorption of hydroalcoholic gels creates the false sensation of total evaporation in the skin because its components are thought to have completely disappeared from the epidermis.
However, ‘they remain on their surface for a long time,’ she said and when in contact with the sun it can cause ‘a darkening of the skin at best, and at worst a burn.’
Dermatologists also warned of the risk of sunburn after a period of low or no outdoor exposure due to lockdown.
The restrictions have coincided with the months between winter to spring and the gradual change in the incidence of solar radiation.
Under normal circumstances, with habitual outdoor activities, people go through a progressive acclimatisation of the skin.
Because of the atypical situation this year due to COVID-19 ‘our pigmentary system still maintains low levels of melanin’, explained Dermatologist Pablo Garcia Montero.
Montero highlights the importance of avoiding direct exposure to sunlight during the central hours of the day, especially this year, given the lack of exposure to natural sunlight due to lockdown.
High factor protection cream (SPF 30-50) should be used and reapplied every two hours, especially after contact with water.
Vitamin D is a micronutrient that strengthens the immune system and absorption of calcium.
It is produced by the body after exposure to sunlight, with short periods of exposure to the sun recommended and supplemented by a diet that includes foods such as salmon or sardines.
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