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Posted on: June 1, 2007

Protecting Your Summer Skin

Taking care of your skin, the human body’s largest organ, isn’t about just one summer; it’s about ensuring you have healthy, happy summers for many years to come

By Anna Sachse
CTW Features

Most people view the inevitable summer sunburn as merely uncomfortable and funny looking, but too much sun exposure can lead to far more than a red neck. At the very best, excessive sun exposure can contribute to premature wrinkles; at the worst, it’s a short cut to skin cancer. Not the cheeriest subject to think about during the season of beach balls, barbeques and bathing suits; but when it comes to sun damage, an ounce of SPF-spiked prevention can go a long way.

According to the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md., the rate of skin cancer in the U.S. is increasing. The estimated number of new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer for 2007 is over one million.

“People have much more leisure time they did in the early 1900s,” says Dr. John J. DiGiovanna, a dermatologist at the National Cancer Institute and Brown Medical School, Providence, R.I., “And they are spending lots of that time outdoors. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, air travel was very expensive. Today, much of the population can afford a winter vacation to a sunny climate for a quick burst of sun damage. This might include Disney for the kids, spring break during college and a few mental health winter breaks during work years, perhaps followed by boating in middle age and lots of golf in retirement. Some of us have a lifelong diet of sun exposure.”

More sun means more ultraviolet radiation exposure, and thus the risk of sunburn. Sunburn destroys cells in the outer layer of skin, damages the tiny blood vessels underneath and ravages the elastic fibers, which over time leads to yellowed, wrinkled skin. The damage to skin cells can also include damage to the DNA, which in turn can lead to three different kinds of skin cancer, some of which have the potential to be deadly.

Keep in mind that skin cancer can develop and establish itself inside the body long before you can see it on the outside, so don’t think that sunburn you got last summer doesn’t matter. But using sun protective measures can do an enormous amount to help prevent further damage.

Lube yourself up with sunscreen all the time, even when it’s cloudy. According to Dr. Jenny Kim, assistant professor of dermatology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, Westwood, Calif., the most effective SPFs are those rated 30 or higher, and the sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, more frequently if you go in the water.

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, the ratio of the time it takes to produce a skin reaction on protected skin versus unprotected skin.

“Let’s say it takes 10 minutes of sun exposure for your skin to become barely perceptible red, without sunscreen,” explains Dr. DiGiovanna. “If you apply a sunscreen and then it takes five times that amount of time (50 minutes) to get the same amount of red, then that sunscreen would be rated SPF 5.”

Dr. Kim notes that sunscreens should be third on the list for sun protection. “First should be avoiding sun,” she says, “especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., second should be protective clothing and then, third, sunscreen use.” She also points out that the head and neck are the most common sun-damaged areas and that people tend to forget about protecting the ears, chest and scalp.

Invest in a broad-brimmed hat and some light colored long-sleeved clothing, and you’ll be investing in your health.