La radiación solar y la fotoprotección

Abstract

The atmosphere reflects and filters only a part of the solar radiation that reaches the earth’s surface. The skin plays an important defensive role against potential physical, chemical and biological damage that can be harmful to humans. Among the most aggressive damage to the skin is the action of solar radiation from direct exposure to the sun, which contains a broad electromagnetic spectrum, ultraviolet, visible and infrared light. UV radiation can induce harmful effects on the skin such as sunburn, immunosuppression, skin aging and skin cancer. High-energy ultraviolet radiation (UVB, 280-315 nm and UVA 316-400 nm) is considered to be responsible for these adverse effects. It is necessary to prevent the harmful effects produced by exposure to sunlight with dermopharmacological protective products. The indiscriminate use of these compounds calls for a review that differentiates between chemical or organic, physical or inorganic and biological or natural sunscreens to determine which are the most suitable for the different types of skin and for the different solar radiations, as well as their toxicity and the new perspectives that are being studied.