What’s At Stake

THE BENEFITS OF THE SUN

You may have been taught that you need sunlight for your body to make vitamin D, because vitamin D is not found naturally in most foods. But today, many foods are fortified with vitamin D during the manufacturing process. Thus, sun exposure is not as important for the body’s vitamin D supply as it used to be. Being outdoors makes most people feel good. Playing tennis is better for your health than watching television. But you can still protect yourself from the sun’s damaging effects while enjoying yourself outdoors.

What’s the Danger

DANGERS OF SUN EXPOSURE

The immediate danger of too much sun is sunburn. If you looked at sunburned skin under a strong microscope, you would see that the cells and blood vessels have been damaged. With repeated sun damage, the skin starts to look dry, wrinkled, discolored, and leathery. Although the skin appears to be thicker, it actually has been weakened and, as a result, it will bruise more easily. The sun’s most serious threat is that it is the major cause of skin cancer, which is now the most common of all cancers. Doctors believe that most skin cancers can be avoided by preventing sun damage.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

SUNSCREEN PROTECTION

Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30nor higher, everyday. This includes summer or winter, on cloudy and clear days.

• Apply the sunscreen at least 20 to 30 minutes before you go outdoors, whenever you will be exposed for 30 minutes or more.
• Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours while you are outdoors, even if the product is labeled “all-day.” If you get wet or perspire heavily, reapply sunscreen more frequently.
• Cover all exposed areas, including your ears, lips, face, and back of your hands.
• Don’t skimp; apply a generous layer. Smooth it on rather than rubbing it in. A rule of thumb is that 45 ml (a shot glass) of sunscreen is needed to cover all exposed skin to attain the stated level of protection.
• Women should apply sunscreens under makeup. If you wait to apply sunscreen until you hit the beach, you may already be perspiring, and moisture makes sunscreens less effective.

BEST PRACTICES FOR PUTTING SUNSCREEN ON YOUR NOSE

You might already know the importance of wearing sunscreen on your neck, back, and arms, but there’s one area of the body that often gets overlooked: your nose. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, only one in three Americans rub sunscreen all over their bodies, and less than half apply it to their face. Putting sunscreen on your nose—as well as everywhere else on your body—should be a priority in your sun protection application process. While it might not seem like a big deal, forgetting to protect your nose from the sun’s harmful UV rays can actually cause a lot of sun damage in the long run.

The face is one of the areas most commonly affected by skin cancer, and your nose sits right at the center of it.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer-like basal cell carcinomas can be found on parts of the body that get the most sun exposure, like the nose. These high-exposure areas are also prone to melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

Scars and damage caused by any facial lesion will be extra apparent because of the nose’s prominence on the face. UV protection is the simplest way to keep your skin healthy, young, and unblemished as you age.

WAYS TO AVOID HARMFUL EFFECTS OF THE SUN

Staying out of the sun is the best way to avoid the harmful effects of sun damage. Next best is to follow these best practices.

1. Stay out of the sun during the peak hours of UV radiation – The shadow rule

Peak hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find shade if you need to be outdoors. You can also find how much UV exposure you are getting by using the shadow rule. If your shadow is longer than you, then UV exposure is low. If your shadow is shorter than you, then UV exposure is high.

2. Wear protective clothing. This can include:

• Wide-brimmed hats that protect the face and neck.
• Tightly woven clothes made of thick material, such as unbleached cotton, polyester, wool, or silk.
• Dark clothes with dyes added that help absorb UV radiation.
• Loose-fitting long-sleeved clothes that cover as much of the skin as possible.
• Clothes with sun protection factor (SPF) in the fabric that doesn’t wash out.

3. Wear sunscreen, with an SPF of 30 or higher, every day. This includes summer and winter, on both cloudy and clear days. Use sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB radiation. Apply to all exposed skin, including the nose, lips, ears, scalp, back of the hands, and neck. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going in the sun, and reapply it every 2 hours and after swimming, exercising, or sweating.
4. Use protective lip balm. Use lip balm or cream that has an SPF of 30 or higher to protect your lips from getting sunburned.
5. Wear wraparound sunglasses. Choose ones that block at least 99% of UVA and UVB radiation.
6. Be careful when you are on sand, snow, or water. These surfaces can reflect 85% of the sun’s rays.
7. Avoid artificial sources of UVA radiation. This includes sunlamps and tanning booths. Like the sun, they can cause skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer.

FINAL WORD

A suntan may look and feel good, but the sun’s rays can cause serious problems when exposure is excessive. Radiation from sunlight damages the skin. Besides sunburn it has been known to cause various types of skin cancer.