Avoiding burns that come with SUMMER SUN
M y family and I just returned from a week in Colorado. Although the mornings and evenings were cool and comfortable, the days heated up considerably, stoked by the intense mountain sun.
When we were out, we did our best to protect ourselves from the sun’s rays. I like spray sunscreens for ease of use, while my son favored creams. I also wore a ball cap whenever I could live with hat head for the remainder of the day.
How would you grade our strategies? I know that sunburns are particularly dangerous for children, increasing their lifetime chances of skin cancer, but is there a point in life (asks the nearly 50-year-old) when they carry less of a long-term cancer risk?
Dr. Prescott Prescribes
As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, things like ozone and water vapor absorb some of the light’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. But certain ultraviolet emissions — primarily those in the wavelength range known as UVA, but also some in the UVB range — are less affected by the atmosphere. Exposure to this radiation is what causes sunburns.
The sun is strongest during the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., so these are the times you need to be most aware. Also, at high altitudes, the thinner atmosphere filters less UV radiation, putting people at greater risk for burns.
We’ve traditionally focused most of our sun protection efforts on children, as the lion’s share of sun exposure comes before age 18. What’s more, studies have found that even a small number of severe sunburns during childhood can significantly increase a person’s lifetime risk of skin cancer and particularly melanoma, the most severe form of the disease.
However, larger-scale analyses have more recently shown that melanoma risk seems to increase with the number of sunburns, regardless of when they happen. That means that we need to remain vigilant as we age.
As far as the most effective methods for sun protection, avoidance is at the top of the list. That means staying out of the sun during peak hours whenever possible or covering up if you choose to go out.
A hat offers great protection, and the bigger the brim, the better, especially if it can shield both your face and your neck. Ditto with long-sleeved tops.
Of course, not everyone (and especially not a child) wants to don wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeved shirts on sweltering summer days. That’s where sunscreen comes in.
On this front, you can learn a lesson from your son. Creambased sunscreens have proved more effective than sprays, which vary widely in their application and often leave part or all of the coverage area inadequately protected.
Sunscreen should carry an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30, and make sure it’s labeled “broad spectrum,” which indicates it blocks both UVA and UVB rays. But don’t go for sunscreen with an SPF above 50. There’s no indication these products offer any meaningful advantage over products with an SPF in the 30 to 50 range, and they may actually end up doing more harm than good by enabling you to stay out in the sun for longer periods of time while allowing harmful (but less obvious) UV rays damage your skin.
Sunscreen labels say to reapply the product at least every two hours. This is not just because the manufacturers want to sell more sunscreen. It’s also due to the fact that sunscreen degrades over time and dilutes or runs off with exposure to sweat and other forms of moisture.
One final shield against the sun is a pair of sunglasses. You’ll want to ensure these offer UV protection, as UV rays can not only burn your eyelids, but they can also cause a litany of longterm eye problems that include cataracts and damage to the corneas and lenses.
This may all sound like the tut-tutting of a killjoy. But protecting your skin not only feels and looks good — it is the most effective way to cut your risk for skin cancer.