Dr. Lujain Albenali is all of the things you want in a doctor, not only is she highly knowledgeable, the Head of Dermatology at Kuwait Hospital is pleasant, funny, and easy to talk to. We loved catching up with her about how important it is to practice safe sun exposure this summer.
It is no surprise that May is the month of sun cancer awareness. Before everyone spends ample time on the beach, it is important to understand how sun exposure causes skin issues and skin cancers. Dr. Lujain clues us in on all the details with her wealth of experience in the public sector and also her experience in the private sector. She explains how although Middle Eastern skin isn’t at high risk of skin cancer, extreme sun exposure can cause other issues such as skin tags, hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, rosacea, melasma and more. Additionally, in Kuwait there is a large expat population which can often suffer from the ill effects of unsafe sun exposure.
Dr. Lujain explains that skin cancer doesn’t develop over a year or two, but once the sun burns the skin – the DNA in the cells changes abnormally and often starts replicating. Skin cancer appears about 20-30 years later. When Dr. Lujain worked in the UK, a lot of her Caucasian patients complained about how they were not in the sun anymore, but the issues were the result of sun exposure in the past and Caucasian skin is more prone to getting skin cancer.
If you have any concerns about a skin issue, or if you have a mole that is painful and itchy, or any other bump or lesion that feels itchy or painful, it is always best to get it checked and early by a dermatologist. The technologies at Kuwait Hospital allow Dr. Lujain to view the bumps and moles carefully, she looks for an abnormal pattern, which she then compares to other moles on the body. If she suspects something, she will often excise the mole or lump and in most cases, the issue ends there. The main risk factors of skin cancer we are told are genetics, unsafe sun exposure, and sometimes immune-suppressing medication for other conditions. Dr. Lujain suggests that if you do have a family history of skin cancer, it is worth getting a full body skin check once a year – and the age at which you start getting these checks depends on your family history. She also suggests that avoiding the sun is not the solution – we need exposure to sun to get a healthy dose of vitamin D, but the best thing is to practice safe sun exposure.
Dr. Lujain laughs as she tells us how her three children, who are now teenagers, used to get bothered as she would be waiting with a bottle of sun lotion at the beach every time they ran into the water. “They are the children of a dermatologist, they should know to expect it,” Dr. Lujain jokes.
So why is practicing safe sun exposure important you ask? The sun emits three types of UV rays: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA and UVB are what we need to protect against since the ozone layer reflects UVC for us. Protection includes a high level of SPF applied regularly, especially if you are enjoying the water. Dr. Lujain shares that waterproof isn’t great and you should reapply sun protection every 2 hours that you are in the sun. And those of you that enjoy sun beds – the UV exposure is the same as the sun and it is better to avoid them completely.
Dr Lujain tells us about the types of sun protection we should use as we should look for something with a high SPF, that offers protection from UVA and UVB rays. Some of the ingredients to look for are chemical blockers such as avobenzone, oxybenzone and mexoryl. And some of the physical blockers that reflect the light are zinc oxide and titanium oxide. She tells us that children should also start using sunblock as early as six months of age if they are exposed to the sun – but they should only use physical blockers when young. Another piece of advice that she gave us is to get some hats and swimwear that has UV protection and SPF , this is especially great for kids. And the straw hats – well those are good from a fashion perspective she tells us.
Kuwait Hospital has really invested in great caregivers and doctors, and if you ever need to see a dermatologist, we can wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Lujain and you can call 22207777 for an appointment. You can also stay up to date with the latest in the world of health by following Kuwait Hospital on Instagram @Kuwait.Hospital.
