Summertime: Sun Exposure Precautions

As we move into the summer months sun exposure is unavoidable for those who enjoy outdoor activities such as softball, camping, barbecuing and swimming. The more we engage in these activities the more likely we are at risk to sunburn. What comes to mind with repeated sunburn are the chances of skin damage and ultimately skin cancer. One in 5 people in the U.S. will develop a skin cancer during their life time. The good news is that we definitively know what causes this type of cancer: over exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun.

A sunburn is simply prolonged exposure to sunlight. A mild reaction appears within 30 minutes to 8 hours after exposure. Excessive exposure may cause swelling, blistering, chills and weakness. A very severe exposure may be life threatening with skin blistering, itching and severe peeling. Other dangerous health conditions like cramps and heat stroke can come into play.

Treatment for sunburn is really quite simple. It includes drinking more than normal amounts of fluid and applying topical smoothing lotions, steroidal or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Staying out of the sun is advisable. Keep in mind that the skin just experienced trauma and it is telling you something. Peeling generally occurs after sunburn and it is the result of the top layer of skin dying.

So why do we need sun protection? At one time it was thought that the sun was good for us. Tanned skin was associated with youth & vitality as portrayed in mythical images of Greek gods and goddesses. Research has proved otherwise. Unhealthy effects of sun exposure include premature aging such as wrinkles and forms of skin cancer. The UVA and UVB (ultra violet) rays are what cause visible & invisible damage to skin cells, which is cumulative over time. The process is: UV exposure - DNA damage - mutations - malignant transformation. Skin malignancies such as melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the end result of sun exposure that turned to cancer.

Preventing skin cancer from sun exposure is a life long proposition. From infancy to childhood and on to adult life, avoiding repeated exposure to the sun is good health advice. Some tips include:

1) Avoid the sun in the middle of the day. (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
2) Follow the shadow rule - if your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun’s damaging rays are at their strongest and you are likely to sunburn.
3) Seek shade when ever possible.

Another way to protect yourself from sun exposure is using sun screen. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

1) Use a sun screen that has a factor of 45 or more.
2) Visible opaque white sun block often contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide which block all light. This sun screen is very good to use on the nose, lips and cheek bones.
3) If swimming or playing sports reapply sun screen every 2 hours.
4) PABA or PABA free. PABA = para-amino benzoic acid is used in many sun screens. Some people are allergic to this chemical so look for the PABA free product.

Finally, frequent self-examinations are a good idea for spotting potential skin cancer. Look over the entire body, including the back, scalp, soles of the feet (between the toes), and on the palms of the hands. To determine whether a mole is suspicious, it is helpful to keep in mind the ABCD’s of Melanoma:

Asymmetry - meaning one half of a mole is different than the other
Border irregularity - the edge, or the border, of melanomas are usually ragged, notched or blurred
Color - benign moles can be any color, but a single mole will be only one color. Melanoma often has shades of tan & brown, black, sometimes white, red or blue, within the same lesion
Diameter - while melanomas are usually greater than 6 mm in diameter when diagnosed, they can be smaller. If a mole is different from others, or it changes, itches or bleeds, even if it is smaller than 6 mm, seek medical attention.