Indecent Exposure
If you take my advice from previous articles and begin spending more time in the sun, please do so with caution. The days of iodine infused baby oil for a deep dark tropical tan are over.
Fortunately I didn’t totally damage my skin from perpetual and abusive sunbathing as a teenager. But 30 years later, I must admit. My mother was right, again.
After coming off spring break in Florida with my daughter, who loves the sun- kissed look, I found myself giving the same advice my mother once gave me. There is no denying that a tan looks great—just make sure you use preventative measures to get one safely.
A featured article in americancancerfund.org, explains the different types of rays the sun emits and the effects of each. Ultra violet or UV radiation is part of the electromagnetic (light) spectrum that reaches the earth from the sun. There are three different types of UV radiation; UVA, B and C.
UVC is the strongest wavelength but not dangerous to humans because it is the shortest and usually gets absorbed by the ozone layer before it reaches the earth. UVB is responsible for most burns. UVA is the least intense, but the most deeply penetrating and the primary cause of wrinkles. Both UVA and UVB cause premature skin aging, eye damage (i.e. cataracts) and skin cancer.
Although they are less intense than UVB rays, UVA rays account for 95 percent of the sun’s rays and are 30-50 times more common. UVA rays are relatively constant all day, every day and can penetrate through clouds and glass.
Even though UV radiation gives us an awesome tan, it damages the skin’s cellular DNA and can produce genetic mutations leading to skin cancer. Tanning beds are just as harmful. The tanning bed bulbs emit UVA radiation which is less likely to burn you but still attributes to premature aging of the skin.
UVB rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. from April through October in the U.S. but can burn you all year round. You are especially vulnerable to UVB rays around snow and ice since 80 percent of rays are bounced back at you therefore causing you double the exposure.
Start protecting your skin today:
•Use sunscreen daily with an SPF of 15 or higher; reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
Sunscreens with protection higher than 30 SPF aren’t necessarily more effective but oftentimes more expensive.
•Cover up with clothing, broad-brimmed hats, UV blocking sunglasses.
•Seek shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
•Avoid tanning and tanning salons—instead try spray tan booths or bronzing lotions.
•Keep newborns out of the sun. Apply sunscreen to all babies over six months old.
•See your physician every year for a skin exam.
Although a tan can look great, the long term effects are damaging and potentially dangerous.
For questions or comments email: suzannemcginnis@me.com.