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Health & Fitness

Staying Safe in the Sun

By Dr. Cynthia Mates, Kaiser Permanente dermatologist in the Diablo Area. Dr. Mates will see patients this November at the San Ramon Medical Offices.

The Bay Area is a fantastic place to live and raise a family. There are an abundance of activities that can keep us outdoors and enjoying life. But living a life of total health also requires some simple precautions to ensure you are keeping safe in the sun.

Why is this important? Because being safe in the sun can help prevent sunburn, prevent premature aging of the skin and help prevent skin cancer.

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Cover Up

One of the best ways to be sun safe is to keep an eye on the clock. Try and avoid the sun altogether when the rays are strongest, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. This includes foggy and overcast days as UV light is often stronger as it reflects off clouds.

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If you're going to be in direct sunlight, it is important to wear hats and other protective clothing.  Wear a tight woven hat with a full brim, preferably four inches, to protect your head, face, ears, and neck as much as possible. And consider sunglasses with UV protection for the eyes and surrounding skin.

Don’t rely on a T-shirt for sun protection when in the pool. When wet they have an SPF (sun protection factor) of only 3. Rash guards with SPF built into the material are a great alternative and a smart choice for kids as well.

Sunscreens

Sunscreen is key to keeping safe in the sun. Use an amount the size of a penny to cover your face and ears about 20 minutes before sun exposure. And apply at least two tablespoons (about the size of a shot glass) worth to cover the rest of your body. That means a typical 4oz sunscreen bottle should provide roughly 4 all-over, thorough applications of sunscreen. As you can imagine, not many people are that diligent in their sunscreen application! One bottle of sunscreen should not last the entire summer.

Look for sunscreens with an SPF of at least 30 that provide “broad spectrum” coverage. This means that they will protect from UVA and UVB rays. While UVA rays contribute to premature aging and UVB rays cause sun burn, both UVA and UVB cause skin cancer.

And remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially after swimming, toweling dry or perspiring heavily. Sunscreen is a must even on hazy or overcast days.

Myths

Don’t be fooled by some common sun myths. Thinking that a “base tan” helps protect against burning or believing that an SPF sunscreen of 100+ will provide all day protection are not true. And tanning beds are not a safe alternative to sun bathing.

Everyone should wear sunscreen daily and reapply every two hours to help protect their skin. Your risk for melanoma doubles if you have ever had 5 sunburns in your life at any age or if you have had one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence. And one session in a tanning bed raises your risk for melanoma by 20 percent.

One in five Americans will get skin cancer. So it is important to use preventative measures now to help protect yourself. The good news is that more than 90 percent of skin cancers are treatable. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about a non-healing lesion or a changing mole.

For more information on ways to stay sun safe visit kp.org/sunscreen.







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