| Protection from the Summer Sun
Jeff Ashley, M.D.
is a dermatologist at
Providence St Joseph
Medical Center. He is a
Clinical Professor of dermatology at USC and President of Sun Safety for Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing skin cancer by promoting sun safety in schools.
How strong is the sun today?
The last time you were outdoors during the day, could you tell how strong the sun's ultraviolet radiation was? Of course not. While we can easily discern whether it's hot or cold, humans cannot sense UV radiation. For example, on cool, overcast days, beach goers tend to let their guard down and are surprised when they later find themselves severely sunburned. The clouds that kept out the heat did not hold back the UV. Unfortunately, a sunburn significantly increases the risk of developing malignant melanoma. If these people had been informed of the UV Index forecast, they might have been
more careful.
I'm disappointed that our local weather broadcasters do not routinely report the UV Index level. It's a forecast that describes, on a scale of 1 to 11+, the strength of the sun's ultraviolet radiation for a given day. The higher the level, the more attention you should pay to protecting your skin when outdoors during the daytime. You can learn more about the
UV Index online, and even check the daily forecast for your
zip code, at www.epa.gov/sunwise.
The latest news about sunscreens
You may have heard the recent news that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new rule that spells out changes in the way that sunscreen products will be labeled. We will keep the familiar SPF value, which is a measure of the product's ability to screen ultraviolet rays in the UVB band. But what about protection against UVA rays? Sunscreen manufacturers are now directed to perform a new test to determine whether their sunscreen also does an adequate job of screening rays in the UVA band. If the product passes the test of screening UVA, and if it has an SPF of 15 or higher, it can then be labeled as "Broad Spectrum." The products meeting these criteria can carry the claim to help protect against skin cancer and premature aging. The new labels are required by June, 2012.
Sunscreen failure
Perhaps the biggest problem with sunscreen is what I refer to
as "pilot error." Many people simply do not apply a sufficient amount, thereby achieving only a fraction of the SPF on the label. Those popular spray-on sunscreens are particularly prone to under utilization. If the label says SPF 30, in reality many people will only put on enough to achieve an SPF of about 8. Uneven application and missed areas are additional causes of sunscreen "failure." When you use sunscreen, you really must apply it liberally. Like painting a wall, putting on two coats is a good strategy for achieving adequate and even coverage. And because sunscreen wears off, don't forget to re-apply every two hours, as well as after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.
An exciting new development with sunscreens is the inclusion
of anti-oxidants in the product. Here's how it works. Sunscreen
is intended to prevent UV rays from getting into the skin. But, because most people don't apply enough sunscreen, some UV might get through. When it does, the UV energy causes the formation of free radicals which can cause mutations leading to skin cancer. Anti-oxidants neutralize free radicals. So, if there are anti-oxidants in the sunscreen, they will absorb into the skin and be ready to neutralize free radicals.
As for me
Until the new sunscreen labels are mandatory next summer,
I will continue to shop for a sunscreen that has a high SPF, screens both UVB and UVA, and includes antioxidants. Most importantly, I will wear long clothing, a sun-protective hat, and sunglasses; and I'll be extra careful when the UV Index is high.
I hope you will too!
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