Is It Risky To Sunbathe During Pregnancy?

Sun and health go hand in hand, so it may seem a little strange to ask if it is risky to sunbathe during pregnancy. Well, the short answer is that it can be if there is an activity you do in excess of understanding the scope and limitations.

Shortwave ultraviolet rays (UVB) and longwave ultraviolet rays (UVA) have effects on the skin depending on intensity and length. In this connection, we know that the skin under the influence of UVB rays produces vitamin D3, important for bone structure. However , only 20 to 30 minutes of sun exposure is required to achieve the benefits.

Tanning requires more time and care. And if doing so under the sun involves risk and requires maximum care, a solarium is completely out of the question.

In this article, we explain the reasons.

Why do we get brown?

The tan we get when sunbathing is a reaction of the skin to protect itself from the effects of shortwave ultraviolet rays or UVB rays. The ozone layer captures this radiation, but the climate crisis has affected it and the occurrence of these rays on the earth’s surface has increased.

The skin picks them up and the natural response as they pass through the epidermis becomes darker – a product of melanin. This is a biopolymer produced by melanocytes, which is present in the deepest layer of the epidermis (or stratum basale).

Melanin, which absorbs up to 99% of the sun’s rays, is deposited in the keratinocytes, the cells that make up the skin. This is where it accumulates around the cell nucleus to protect DNA from possible mutations due to the effect of solar radiation.

Extending the sun’s exposure time means overcoming this natural barrier and going from an attractive tan to a sunburn.

Is it risky to sunbathe during pregnancy?

In general, tanning is not recommended. The joy of summer, the feeling of freedom and the idea that a little more will not hurt us, can have serious consequences. However, by taking all precautions and being aware of the risks, a little sun will do you and your baby good.

The sun helps to synthesize vitamin D, which contributes to the absorption of calcium, and thus helps to strengthen the bone mass of both the mother and the baby, who get calcium through the placenta. Vitamin D requirements increase by up to 300% due to the mineralization of the fetus.

At the same time, exposure to the sun for a maximum of half an hour does not necessarily mean sunbathing. Receiving the light in the morning, before 11 o’clock, or in the afternoon after 17 o’clock, is already healthy. But tan, in addition to its aesthetic appeal, is a response to solar radiation, and the intensity will depend more on the skin type than on the sun you receive.

If the skin is very white before sunbathing, it burns. Therefore, to protect yourself, you need a sun factor between 20 and 50. If your skin is light, it will turn brown gradually and the sun factor should be between 15 and 20.

Darker skin, on the other hand, turns brown quickly. Very dark skin turns deep brown. In these cases, the sunscreens range from 10 and 15 to 4 and 10, respectively. In short, without adequate protection, we should not be exposed to ultraviolet rays.

Possible consequences of sunbathing during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the skin becomes more sensitive due to the increase in hormones and greater blood supply. If UV exposure is a problem, it is reasonable to consider it risky to sunbathe during pregnancy.

Chloasma

Also called melasma, these are dark colored spots caused by increased production of progesterone. They are usually seen on the face (upper lip, cheekbones and forehead). The intensity will depend on the time in the sun.

Darker skin is more prone to its appearance. Once it appears, it is very difficult to make it disappear.

Melanoma

This is a type of skin cancer that develops when melanocytes grow out of control. Among the causes are genetic predisposition and sun exposure. It is more common in white skin, very freckled skin and in redheads.

Spina bifida

Exposure to ultraviolet rays causes overheating, which can affect the development of the baby’s spine. It also leads to a reduction in folic acid, which increases the risk of spina bifida.

The reason is that folic acid is sensitive to sunlight and degrades, especially under the influence of the sun’s rays.

Tanorexia

For all of the above reasons, it can be an indication of tanorexia to expose yourself to the sun without being careful and with an obsessive eagerness to get tanned. An obsession with being brown can cause pregnant women to undergo sessions in the solarium with a higher concentration of rays than natural and more aggressive.

We have already seen that the sun, from all points of view, is healthy at appropriate times and moments. But if we want to look tanned, exposure to the sun is not the only solution.

Some special creams combine their active ingredients with keratin and other proteins in the superficial layer of the skin. Therefore, they produce a tan-free melanin that adapts to your aesthetic desire.

Tips to protect yourself from radiation during pregnancy

Within the care schemes that are required by common sense, such as the use of sunscreen and the choice of recommended hours, your first day out in the sun should not exceed 15 minutes.

If your summer stay is longer, you can increase by 10 minutes the next day. And so on for up to 10 days, if necessary. This acts as a mechanism to prepare the skin to withstand the sun.

With this tanning method, you will be protected immediately, but not against the long-term effects, such as skin cancer or premature aging. Tanning your skin can not be a repetitive practice.

By the way, umbrellas or sitting in the shade on the beach are not good, because sand and water act as mirrors that multiply radiation. And the risk lies in being exposed while we believe we are protected. The burns appear later.

Yes, it is risky to sunbathe during pregnancy

If you can not avoid sunbathing after 11:00, and you seem to lie in the sun or under an umbrella irresistible, then yes, it is risky to sunbathe during pregnancy.

In this case , sunscreen is essential. All exposed areas of your body must be thoroughly protected.

You should use them 30 to 60 minutes before exposure, in sufficient quantity. After bathing or sweating, sunscreen must be reapplied.

It does not matter if the packaging says that it is waterproof. If more than three hours of sun exposure have elapsed, apply again. No precautions are too insignificant when it comes to protecting your skin and especially the healthy development of your baby.