Sun Safety: Key to Summer Fun

As we head into the summer months and the temperature warms up, our skin is more likely to be directly exposed to the heat of the sun. While spending time outside is a wonderful way to get physical activity and increase vitamin D, too much exposure can increase the risk of skin cancer.

There are many ways to protect your skin from these risks while still being able to enjoy summer’s splendor.

How can I protect my skin from the sun?

There are multiple ways you can reduce your risk of skin cancer from exposure to UV rays:

• Optimize time in the shade, such as underneath trees or a shelter. Remember that clouds do not protect you from UV rays.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. A dry shirt is better than wet and darker colors are better than lighter colors. Some clothing has special certification for UV protection.
• Wear wide-brimmed hats to protect parts of your head that we don’t often think about, such as ears and the back of your neck. A baseball cap will not protect these parts of your body, although it will provide shade to your eyes and face.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and the thin skin around your eyes.
• Sunscreen

There are two types of ways sunscreen can protect you:

1. Physical sunscreens have active mineral ingredients that sit on top of the skin and physically block UV rays. Sunscreens with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are physical sunscreens. These options are less likely to irritate skin and are ideal for people with rosacea or other skin conditions.
2. Chemical sunscreens have active ingredients that absorb UV rays upon contact. A chemical reaction occurs to prevent the harmful effects of UV rays. Sunscreens with avobenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, oxybenzone, or octobenzone are chemical sunscreens. These sunscreens are thinner and spread more easily onto the skin but are more likely to irritate the skin. You must also re-apply more frequently than physical sunscreens.

What kind of sunscreen should I use and how do I use it?

The FDA regulates sunscreen to meet certain standards for skin protection. Broad-spectrum sunscreens will protect you from both UVA and UVB. Not all sunscreens are broad spectrum so be sure to check the label.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measure of how well the sunscreen will protect you. It compares how much sun radiation is needed to make a sunburn on protected skin compared to unprotected skin. The higher the number, the better the protection. An SPF of at least 15 will provide appropriate sun protection.

Apply sunscreen to all areas of the body that will be exposed to the sun. This includes ears, nose, lips, back of the neck, hands, tops of feet, along the hairline, and other areas of the head not covered by hair.

Apply to skin 15 minutes before going outside. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours or more often if you are swimming or sweating (don’t be fooled by “waterproof” or “water-resistant” sunscreen, as these can still wear off as soon as 40 minutes after application).