“For example, acne (from which many young people suffer and not only) gets better, since the ultraviolet radiation removes the inflammatory cells and the external appearance of the person improves, therefore also his mood”, says Mr. Konstantinos Mileounis Director Dermatologist-Venoretologist at Metropolitan Hospital and continues:

“Psoriasis is a disease from which hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings suffer. It is a genodermatopathy, in which skin cells multiply very quickly and instead of reaching the keratin in a month, they reach, in two or three days, they do not exfoliate and the characteristic scale plate is created.

A treatment option for psoriasis is photobaths, where the sufferer enters a special cabin, wears special glasses and receives the beneficial effect of ultraviolet radiation. In fact, instead of going to units that provide specific health services, he can go to the beach and do treatment while having fun.

Exposure, however, must be gradual and measured to avoid burns, and the use of sunscreen is certainly recommended, especially on the face.

But there are also diseases that worsen during the summer season. The most well-known is lupus, an autoimmune disease, which can worsen in the summer and therefore requires attention to sun exposure. Also, special attention needs to be shown by those receiving anti-cancer treatment, either chemotherapy or immunotherapy. In both types of treatments there are drugs that when taken by a person become photosensitized, reddened and itchy. So those doing anti-cancer treatment should prefer shady places, wearing a long shirt and sunscreen.

Also, those with vitiligo need to take special care in the summer, since the amelanotic areas are unprotected and burn easily. In contrast, healthy areas tan easily, color contrast increases, and the color camouflage we often do does not mean it also provides sun protection. So, someone who suffers from vitiligo, must show special care towards the sun” informs the expert.

Regarding tick bites, what can we do and what are the possible complications?

Tick ​​bites are a common problem in summer. These are small pests, which in the summer have increased mobility. At the same time, we wear lighter clothes, so there is easy access to our skin.

“Very often, when we see an insect on our skin, we chase it away with a hasty movement. If this happens to be a tick it can be chased away, but the firmly attached head usually stays in the skin and causes a reaction. A pimple or an annoying, itchy papule is created that can bother us for months. In this case, surgical removal must be done. If we had understood from the beginning that it was a tick, we could either use very fine tweezers to remove the head, or with a small blade to uproot the head, maybe even a little part of our skin.

Another problem created by tick bites is communicable diseases, specifically for our country Lyme disease. So one month after the bite we have to do an antibody test for Borelia Burgdorferi and if it is positive we will need to take an antibiotic to treat the microbe” explains Mr. Mileounis.

Why, although our country is characterized by intense sunshine, do we lack vitamin D, and what can we do?

The source of vitamin D production is the ultraviolet radiation to which our skin is exposed and the intake of foods that contain it.
“In Greece, we mainly rely on the sun for the production of vitamin D and unfortunately, we omit its intake from the diet. In terms of foods, vitamin D is mainly found in fatty fish such as herring, sardines, mackerel and salmon. Of course, if we are deficient in vitamin D we will take a nutritional supplement and try to improve our diet. In general, therefore, you need gradual and measured exposure to the sun, combined with a proper diet” concludes Mr. Mileunis.

*To deal with all these skin diseases and many more, the Department of Dermatology – Venereology of the Metropolitan Hospital is highly trained, aiming to diagnose and treat skin and venereal diseases of outpatients and inpatients.

In more detail, the diagnosis is achieved by clinical examination, dermoscopy, taking a piece of skin for histological examination, through the help of other departments of the Metropolitan, e.g. detection and identification of HPV or herpes simplex in the Molecular Biology department, as well as with the culture of onyx shavings for the diagnosis of onychomycosis.

At the same time, the treatment can be conservative or invasive. It is invasive by destroying lesions with the help of cryotherapy or diathermocoagulation, but also with surgical removal of lesions.