Staying Safe in the Sun

Sun safety is essential year round no matter the weather but it is especially critical in the summer. This is because sun exposure can cause sunburn, skin aging (skin spots, wrinkles, or leathery skin), and eye damage. Most importantly, exposure can cause skin cancer which is one of the most common types of all cancers.

Skin cancer is one of the top 5 common forms of cancer in the U.S. According to the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program projects, there will be 99,780 new cases of skin melanomas and 7,650 deaths in 2022. Therefore, prevention is key.

Prevention:

The best way to prevent skin cancer is to avoid the sun during peak hours (10am-4pm) as best as you can by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing (long sleeve shirts, pants, hat), sunglasses, avoiding tanning and tanning beds, and applying broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF>30) to exposed skin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to evaluate sunscreen products to ensure that they are safe, effective, and help protect everyone from the sun.

Why tanning and tanning beds are NOT safe:

Tanning is caused by exposure to UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds that causes genetic damage to cells on your outermost layer of skin. Damages are cumulative and start from the very first tan. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, indoor tanning increases the risk of developing life-threatening melanoma by 75% from only just one indoor tanning session. Both indoor and outdoor tanning leads to skin damage and thus increasing ones risk of developing cancer. Therefore, the best defense it to avoid all types of tanning altogether.

What are broad spectrum sunscreens?:

Protect against UVA and UVB rays

• Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays: “aging rays” known for prematurely aging skin
• Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays: “burning rays” known for causing burns

Sunscreen Application:

• There are 2 major causes of decreased sun protection:
  • Inadequate amount of sunscreen
  • Infrequent reapplication

What to use:

Use broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF>30

• Sun protection factor (SPF) is a measure of how much UV radiation is required to produce sunburn on protected skin with sunscreen compared to the amount of UV radiation required to produce sunburn on unprotected skin.
• MYTH: SPF 100 will give double the protection of SPF 50
  • Data shows that SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB radiation, SPF 50 blocks about 98% of UVB radiation, and SPF 100 blocks about 99% of YVB radiation. Because of the small differences between the SPF, it is recommended that any sunscreen that has SPF > 30 should be used.
• MYTH: People with skin that does not burn easily do not need to use sunscreen.
  • If your skin darkens, it is a sign of trauma. Skin darkens itself because UV rays damage skin cells.

When to apply:

You should apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes prior to UV rays exposure

How much to use:

Apply generously to exposed skin: Rule of thumb: 1 oz of sunscreen to cover entire body. Apply on the lips as well.

When to reapply:

• Reapply ever 2 hours or as indicated on label, even on cloudy days
• Reapply after swimming or sweating
• If water resistant, reapply after 40-80 minutes of water activity

What to do if you have sunburn:

• Sunburn is skin damage from too much exposure to the sun’s UV rays.
• Severity of sunburn:
  • First-degree sunburn: Damage to the skin’s outer layer. This usually heals on its own in a few days to a week. Symptoms includes: redness, tenderness, and mild pain
  • Second-degree sunburn: Damage to the inner layer of the skin. It can take weeks to heal and may need medical treatment. Symptoms includes: vibrant redness, blistering, swelling, and more severe pain with the possibility of dehydration or nausea.
  • Third-degree sunburn: (Rare) Severe damages to all layers of the skin, including the fat layer beneath the skin. Symptoms include: red to purplish skin discoloration, large blisters, chills, a mild fever, severe nausea, headaches, and dehydration.

• Possible treatment for sunburn:
  • Soak in a cool bath
  • Put cool, moist clothes on sunburned skin several times a day
  • Take anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen or naproxen as instructed according to label or by physician
  • For discomfort: Can use aloe vera gel as directed on label for sunburns
  • For itching: Can use calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream as directed on label
  • Leave blisters alone to prevent infections
  • Follow up with physician if there is any signs of infection, new or worse redness, swelling, pain, warmth, or drainage from the sunburned area