This is the time of year when being outside is fun, and the layers are off, exposing our skin. Then the women start to complain about their creamy skin or stubborn tan lines or not wanting to get any darker. And the men stand there pretending the sun doesn’t affect their tough manly skin. I think that it is important to understand some basic information about the sun and its effects on our skin. I am no stranger to sunburn and my family has a long history with skin cancer; I have always tried to be careful in the sun for that reason.
First the sun emits many frequencies of light ranging from visible to invisible. The sun emits mostly visible light, but also ultraviolet rays (which can be replicated in things like tanning beds). Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is linked to skin cancer. There are two main types of ultraviolet light, UVA and UVB. There is a third type - UVC but that is absorbed by ozone in our atmosphere before it can reach us on the ground.
Fun fact about UVA rays is that they can pass through glass, in your house or car. UVA exposure causes your skin to age and wrinkle, and studies suggest that they play a role in causing basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. UVB rays however cannot pass through glass, but studies more strongly suggest that exposure is linked to melanoma (skin cancer).
Now with that scary information in your mind, how do we prevent this from happening. Well … obviously use sun lotion and limit your exposure to direct sunlight. The sun is strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Now staying out of the sun doesn’t mean becoming a hermit. A helpful tip that I just learned is that if your shadow is shorter than you, you should find some shade. The UV Index is a helpful tool to see how strong the UVA and UVB rays are on that particular day. They range on a scale from 1-10, if they are a 10 you should really consider staying out of the sun.
Now some protection guidelines, you should be using sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection, SPF of 30, and water resistant. In addition you should be applying about one ounce of sun lotion before going outside. Also reapplying every two hours is a very good habit to get into. VERY IMPORTANT! Make sure your sun lotion isn’t expired! So if you have leftover from last summer, toss it and get a new bottle. Most people don’t think about how these rays can affect their eyes. This is where sunglasses come in handy. Most sunglasses these days at least have a sticker saying that they absorb UV rays, but just in case, you should check to make sure they say between 99 to 100 percent UV absorption.
In addition, if you are using medicines like, antibiotics, acne cream, anti-inflammatory, etc … your skin will be more sensitive to the sun, so plan accordingly. And since it is the time of year for outside parties and beach vacations, drinking alcohol also makes your skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays. So before laying in your sun chair with a margarita or beer, think twice about finding some shade before you get too comfortable.
So as the summer gets underway and the sleeves get shorter, remember your sun lotion and shades. Being tan might look cool now, but being a wrinkly thirty-year-old won’t be fun. Save yourself the hassle of bi-annual dermatologist appointments, scalpels, and biopsies.
