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UVA-UVB
Know the difference to choose the right sun protection
Protecting your skin against UVA and UVB rays
Whether it's cloudy or very sunny, whether you're in town, in the car or under an umbrella, you absorb UVA and UVB rays every day. UVB rays are well known, and there's no shortage of sun creams to protect you from them. UVAs, on the other hand, are much more discreet, and their effects can be harmful over the long term. Whatever your skin type, age, allergies or sensitivity, protecting yourself from UVB AND UVA is absolutely essential.
UVA rays have a long range and can reach deep into the skin, right down to the dermis. They account for 95% of the UV rays that reach us, passing through windows and clouds. They cause significant oxidative stress and weaken the immune system. Even if the damage caused by UVA rays is not immediately visible, over the long term, through repeated exposure, they damage the skin and can provoke chain reactions responsible for premature ageing, certain allergies, hyperpigmentation and, more seriously, skin cancers.
UVB rays have a shorter range than UVA rays, reaching the skin's surface. They account for only 5% of the UV rays that reach us, yet that's enough to cause some damage, as we all know
It's UVB rays that cause the sunburn we dread so much on vacation, accompanied by redness and sometimes blistering, before the added bonus of “peeling skin”.
Yet UVB rays have the ability to activate the skin's biological defense mechanisms, which are invaluable in alerting us to excessive sun exposure:
- The skin produces greater quantities of melanin to protect it from burning - this is tanning.
- The epidermis thickens to protect the skin in depth.
- A series of processes is triggered to limit oxidative stress, repair DNA damage and generate a “new” skin.
Sunscreens block 98% of UVB rays. If UVA protection is available, it is sometimes indicated by an “A” in a circle. This symbol means that UVA protection is equal to at least 1/3 of UVB protection. Even so, there's a huge imbalance between the two, even though UVA accounts for 95% of UV radiation! Without a sunscreen that combines UVA AND UVB protection, the balance of the entire skin ecosystem is compromised.
Until now, the solution to rebalancing this UVA-UVB balance has been to add a large number of filters and ingredients, which ultimately overload the skin and can provoke allergic reactions.
To be perfectly tolerated, a good sun cream must limit the number of filters used as much as possible. A formulation challenge to optimize UVA protection.
The products in the Photoderm range contain patented SUN ACTIVE DEFENSE technology, a unique defense system that combines very high UV protection with reinforced biological protection against UVA rays. For the first time at Bioderma, balanced UVA and UVB protection stimulates the skin's natural defense mechanisms.
SUN ACTIVE DEFENSE, the proof is in the pudding
SUN ACTIVE DEFENSE patented technology maintains the balance of the skin's ecosystem:
- Stimulates the skin's natural defenses and reinforces its protection against UVA and UVB rays
- Preserves the skin's antioxidant reserves by +24%* (vs. filters alone)
- Protects the skin's immune defenses by +26%* (vs. filters alone)
- Helps prevent the risk of skin cancer
The products in the Photoderm range provide high-performance UVA and UVB protection, taking into account the specific problems of every skin type, at every age: fragile, reactive skin, skin prone to acne, redness, blemishes, the side effects of certain medical treatments...
