According to a study carried out by the National Cancer Corporation, ultraviolet radiation has increased in nine regions of Chile between Arica and Maule.
Due to the enormous length of the national territory, the sun’s rays at a given time strike very differently from the northern or southern regions, the most common being that the highest rates of solar radiation are found from the central area to the north.
The strangest thing is that the increases have also occurred in the regions of Araucaria and Los Ríos, something very unusual. The figures indicate that 16 out of every 100,000 Chileans between the ages of 25 and 40 contract skin cancer.
According to dermatologist Cristián González, the harmful effects of the sun are cumulative throughout life. If a person sunbathed from childhood to adulthood, that radiation accumulates negatively and can cause various damages such as skin cancer, premature aging. , spots and various sun damage.
The most relevant data are the following:
- In the summer months, the north of Chile presents the highest levels of UV radiation in the country, and even worldwide.
- Research shows that the mortality rate from skin cancer (melanomas) in the second region is 2.4 times higher than the risk of people living in other latitudes of the country.
Global and country studies specify that out of every 100 cases of malignant tumors, 4 to 5 correspond to skin tumors, an indicator that is constant worldwide. On the other hand, in the Second Region, of every 100 similar cases, 37 correspond to skin pathologies.
- There is a UV radiation monitoring network in Chile, from Arica to Antarctica. However, it is not known that mining, industrial or tourism companies, whose employees work in full sun, have equipment to measure the UV radiation to which their employees are exposed.
- Protective creams whose factor is greater than 15, in general, present a good response in the spectrum of wavelengths of UV-B radiation.
- All lenses, with UV protection, in general, present a good response in the spectrum of wavelengths of UV-B radiation.
Tips to prevent skin cancer:
- It is recommended in the spring-summer season to use a factor 30 or higher.
- People should avoid exposing themselves to the sun between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. since they are the hours in which it hits the strongest.
- Prefer cotton clothing and wear a hat when you go out.
- People with white skins should not be directly exposed to the sun for more than 16 minutes a day, while those with brown skin should not be more than 24 minutes.
Children under six months should not be exposed to the sun. In the case of older children, it is ideal to reapply the sunscreen every three hours or every time you get out of the water.
You can find out about the radiation index in your city by clicking here.