Portugal health experts urge daily sunscreen for seniors and advise measures to prevent summer leg chafing

Dermatologists at Hospital Universitário Sanitas La Moraleja advise that seniors use sunscreen daily during the high‑UV months of summer. They recommend applying a broad‑spectrum product 30 minutes before exposure, reapplying every two hours or after swimming, and avoiding direct sun between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Complementary protection includes hats, sunglasses, lightweight covering clothing and staying in shade. The experts note that older adults may have difficulty applying sunscreen to hard‑to‑reach areas such as the back, feet or legs, and suggest that caregivers or family members help with application to avoid burns that heal more slowly.

Separate guidance addresses the common problem of leg chafing in warm weather. Health advice stresses wearing snug cycling‑style shorts under skirts or dresses to reduce thigh friction, and using products such as zinc‑oxide or dexpanthenol creams, petroleum‑based ointments, or anti‑friction sticks on exposed skin. Keeping the area dry, changing out of wet clothing promptly, and applying soothing creams to any irritation are also recommended. The measures are presented as applicable to anyone experiencing summer heat, not limited to any specific body type.