By Natalie Harding, Grace Cottage Family Health PA-C
We waited so long for summer, and now it’s time to get outside and go biking, hiking, get work done on the house or garden, or spend time on the beach. Maybe you earn your living working outdoors. Did you pack the sunscreen?
“Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,” says Rudyard Kipling in his poem “Gunga Din.” There’s wisdom in that. The welcome, warm light from the summer sun carries a risk — UVA and UVB radiation. The risk is there all year, but in the summer we tend to be outdoors longer, have more skin exposed, and the days are longer, extending the risk.
Ultimately, UVA and UVB can damage the skin and cause skin cancer. Here’s a mnemonic to help you remember the difference. UVA is responsible for Aging; it passes through window glass all year. UVB is responsible for Burning; it’s blocked by window glass. Clothing has varying degrees of protection, but of course, it doesn’t help the skin that’s exposed.
So, don’t forget to pack the sunscreen!
Skin damage can set in quickly and is compounded over years. In as little as 15 minutes you can start to burn, causing damage eventually. If you use tanning beds, you already are greatly increasing your risk of skin cancer, so adding outdoor exposure throughout the year can accelerate the risk of side effects from UVA/UVB radiation.
In order to make a good choice about what type of sunscreen to use and how to apply it, you need to know a little about “SPF” numbers and about sunscreen ingredients.
SPF stands for “sun protection factor.” The SPF number is used to label both clothing and sunscreens. SPF is figured by determining how long it takes skin protected with sunscreen to burn, compared to unprotected skin. It is important to know that SPF 30 sunscreen does NOT protect you twice as much as SPF 15. The American Academy of Dermatology does not suggest using any sunscreen lower than SPF 30, which blocks 97% of UVB rays. A higher SPF only blocks a slightly higher amount of UV.
Sunscreens still need to be reapplied every two hours, no matter what the number. Sunscreens labeled as “water-resistant” are supposed to remain effective for up to 40 minutes of swimming or sweating. After that, the sunscreen should be reapplied, especially after toweling off.
Another important tip about sunscreen: the ingredients of your sunscreen will affect how it feels on your skin. Some sunscreens use ingredients which absorb the UV rays and convert the rays to heat on your skin. These products can actually make you feel hotter. Examples of these sunscreen ingredients include PABA, cinnamates, salicylates, and benzophenones.
Other sunscreens use ingredients like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to reflect and scatter the UV rays. These ingredients are not absorbed by the skin, but instead set up a particle block. Zinc oxide was responsible for the classic lifeguard white nose. Today, this type of sunscreen is much more subtle and does not leave your skin white. It works well, and for people concerned about chemical risk from other sunscreens, it can be a less irritating and less worrisome option, so likely the safest if you are concerned about absorption.
Sunscreens come as creams, lotions, gels, sticks, and sprays. Creams and lotions can be soothing to dry skin; creams will be thicker than lotions. Gels may be easier to apply to areas of the body which have more hair.
Sprays are promoted as great for little children because they can be applied quickly, so the adult needs to spend less time wrangling a toddler into standing still while sunscreen is applied. However, there are two dangers to consider. First, it is more difficult to see how much you are applying. And second, sprays increase the risk of chemical inhalation, especially by children. Not ideal. If you do use spray sunscreen, use it around the face with special care.
Ultimately, it’s most important that you choose a type of sunscreen that you like, so you will actually use it! Don’t skimp when applying sunscreen.
Also use other methods of protecting yourself from midday sun, especially with children – things like umbrellas, cover-ups, hats, and beach tents, and sunglasses to protect your eyes.
So pack the sunscreen, and enjoy the summer!
P.S. Remember these tips when you ski in the winter, because they work well then, too!
Bio: Natalie Harding is a Physician Assistant practicing at Grace Cottage Family Health in Townshend, VT. Natalie earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire. She worked in Greenfield, MA, before joining Grace Cottage Hospital in 2014.
