With summer here, Americans are
spending more time outdoors getting a tan, and exposing their skin to the harmful
effects of the sun.
Experts say a suntan is the skin's response to sun
damage and that too much sun can cause long-term harm and skin cancer. "There
is no such thing as a safe tan. Even a healthy-looking tan is the result of the
skin attempting to repair itself," cautions Dr. Alan Moshell, Director of the
Skin Diseases Branch of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases, a component of the National Institutes of Health.
The redness, pain and blistering of a sunburn is the skin's reaction to the effects
of ultraviolet radiation. It is made up of ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B
(UVB) ; and ultraviolet C (UVC). Ultraviolet B (UVB), which causes the most immediate
damage to the skin, varies in intensity throughout the day and is strongest during
the summer months.
The sun accelerates the natural aging of the skin,
leaving it vulnerable to future damage. "Repeated sunburns and prolonged sun exposure
cause cumulative damage to the skin that may not be noticeable right away, " explains
Moshell. Over time, sun-exposed skin can become dry, wrinkled, and in some cases,
discolored.
This premature aging of the skin usually results from overexposure
to both ultraviolet A (UVA), which penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB, and
UVB. Levels of UVA vary less during the year than UVB, and like UVB, can neither
be seen nor felt.
Although some newer sunscreens are more effective in
blocking both UVA and UVB than those previously available, it is always wise to
limit your time in the sun.--an NIH HEALTHWise report, July 1997
Be HealthWise
Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the sun's rays
are strongest.
If you are going to be in the sun for any length of time,
find an area with "structured shade", such as a wooded clearing, to block as much
of the sun as possible. The sun is strongest at the beach, where sand and water
reflect the sun's damaging rays.
Always apply a generous, uniform amount
of sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. Reapply regularly
if you go swimming or stay in the sun for a long time.
If the sunscreen
is waterproof, let it dry 30 minutes before going in the water.
Use sunscreen
even on cloudy days, especially if you plan to be outside for any length of time.
Keep young infants out of the sun. Start using sunscreen on children at 6
months of age and limit their exposure. Sunscreens are not approved for infants
younger than 6 months.
Wear sunglasses and protective clothing, such
as hats. If you burn easily, longsleeved shirts and long pants can provide added
protection.
Avoid tanning salons and lamps, which produce ultraviolet
radiation that can damage your skin just like sunlight.
Did
You Know That?
The skin is the largest organ of your body. Protect
it and keep it healthy.
Radiation from the sun that reaches the earth's
surface is either ultraviolet, visible (light), or infrared (warmth).
Both UVA and UVB are absorbed by human skin. About 1000 times more UVA than UVB
radiation is needed to produce redness and sunburn.
Sunlight helps the
body produce vitamin D naturally.
More than 90% of all skin cancers occur
on parts of the body exposed to the sun.
SPF refers to the amount of
time required for ultraviolet radiation to produce skin redness with sunscreen
protection compared to the time required without protection. This means that with
an SPF 15, a person can spend 15 times longer than usual in the sun before developing
a sunburn. | |
