With the return of summer and long daylight hours comes a renewed reminder about sun safety and reducing one's risk of skin cancer.
When individuals are outside, ideally they should wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). If it's just too hot to cover up completely, make sure all exposed skin gets a generous application of a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more. A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against both ultraviolet A and B rays.
Re-apply sunscreen every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or perspiring.
The AAD advises staying in the shade between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.
For those who do get sunburned, taking cool baths or showers can help relieve the pain. After getting out of the tub or shower, gently pat dry, but leave some water on the skin. Next, apply a moisturizer to help trap the moisture in the skin. Use a moisturizer that contains aloe vera or soy.
Individuals coping with a bad sunburn might want to use an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream. Never use "-caine" products (such as benzocaine), because they can irritate the skin or cause an allergic reaction, the AAD said.
Aspirin or ibuprofen can help reduce swelling, redness and discomfort caused by a sunburn. It's also a good idea to drink plenty of water. If the skin develops blisters, don't break them; they help the skin heal and prevent infection. While the skin is healing, be sure to stay out of the sun.
Which SPF do I need?
Selecting a good sunscreen is important in protecting the skin. According to the American Melanoma Foundation, the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) refers to a product's ability to block out the sun's harmful rays. An SPF of 15 typically means that you can be in the sun without sunscreen 15 times longer before getting sunburn than you can without protection. However, SPF protection does not increase exponentially as the SPF number on the label goes up. For example, an SPF of 15 will absorb 93 percent of ultraviolet radiation, while an SPF of 34 will absorb 97 percent and an SPF of 50 keeps out 98 percent.
While a sunscreen with an SPF of 20 to 30 offers substantial protection against sunburns, and usually prevents tanning, it's also important to choose a product that has "broad spectrum" on its label. This means the sunscreen filters out ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation exposure. Regardless of the product you choose, remember to apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors to give it time to absorb into the skin and plan to reapply every two hours, after being in the water, exercising and/or sweating.
For more information about protecting the skin from the sun, visit healthlibrary.barnabashealth.org or contact a Barnabas Health dermatologist at (888) 724-7123.