Enjoy summer fun while practicing sun safety tips to avoid skin cancer, sunburn

Little Rock — As temperatures rise and the school year ends, Arkansas families are preparing to spend more time outside during the summer. The state of nature offers many opportunities to enjoy in the sun, but practicing sun safety by using sunscreen, avoiding prolonged exposure to sunlight, and wearing protective clothing. Is important.

Skin cancer is the greatest long-term risk of exposure to sunlight and is also the most common type of cancer. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 5 million adults are treated for skin cancer each year.

There are two types of UV rays that damage the skin and cause skin cancer: UV-A rays and UV-B rays. UV-B rays have more energy and are a more dangerous type of UV light, but individuals need to protect from both types.

Choosing the right protection factor

Brian Mader, an assistant professor and health specialist at the Faculty of Systems Agriculture at the University of Arkansaw, said it is important to use a sunscreen with an SPF (sunscreen factor) of at least 30 and reapply it according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

“All sunscreens are prescribed a little differently, so it’s the manufacturer who can best tell us how often they need to be reapplied to provide their consistent protection.” Said Mader.

The SPF number indicates the amount of UV radiation (both UV-A and UV-B rays) that the sunscreen blocks. For example, according to Mader, SPF 15 sunscreens block about 90% of UV rays, and SPF 50 sunscreens block about 98% of UV rays.

Mr. Madder also said it is important to check the expiration date of the sunscreen before applying.

“Checking the expiration date of a sunscreen should be done around the spring of each year before spending a lot of time outdoors, as the sunscreen can expire and lose its effectiveness,” he said. rice field.

Children over 6 months should use sunscreen, and children under 6 months should avoid sunlight and cover with comfortable clothing.

Additional protection

It is also important to use additional sunscreen, as sunscreen does not provide complete protection from the sun. Other ways to protect against sunlight exposure include sunglasses with a UV protection factor. A wide-brimmed hat that covers the ears, neck, and top of the head. Unlike visors and baseball caps, some of these areas are unprotected. Firmly woven clothing that covers the arms and legs.

Even loosely woven clothing, such as cotton T-shirts, allows the sun to pass through the fabric. Exposing the fabric to light to check the safety of the fabric’s sun. When it is seen through, ultraviolet rays permeate the fabric, making it easier to reach the skin. Brightly saturated colors such as dark colors and vibrant reds and blues also provide better protection than light shades such as whites and pale pinks.

Some clothing manufacturers specially design their garments with a UV protection factor (UPF), which indicates how much UV light can reach the skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, garments with a UPF of 30-39 provide “very good” protection, and garments with a UPF of 50 or more provide “good” protection.

when and where

The most effective way of sun safety is to avoid long-term direct exposure to the sun during the strongest and most harmful times of the sun. In Arkansas, these are the hours from 10 am to 4 pm, UV rays can affect the skin even on cloudy days, and surface reflectance can also worsen exposure.

“The reflectance of any surface you are on can affect the intensity of UV-A and UV-B rays,” Mader said. “If you’re playing with something like grass, it’s a little better at absorbing that light and those rays, but if you’re playing with light-colored surfaces like water, concrete, or sand, it’s It works. To reflect from under you to you. “

In the event of a sunburn, Madder said the most important step to take is to avoid the sun for the next few days.

“Your body can only handle so many exposures at a time, so avoiding the sun for the next few days will be the most important thing you can do,” he said. “If you have other outdoor activities to participate in after sunburn, make sure you are wearing a hat, protective clothing, tent, gazebo, or under the sunshade. Damage to your skin. It’s some way to prevent it from continuing to absorb the UV-A and UV-B rays it gives. “

Burn care

To relieve sunburn, aloe vera gel and other moisturizing lotions can help soothe the skin. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can also help relieve “part of the initial pain and swelling of the skin when trying to recover from a sunburn.”

According to Madder, if your skin is very swollen or blisters even after sunbathing, it’s a good idea to contact your health care provider.

“If you reach the stage of sunburn, which can cause blisters, sickness, and consequent dehydration, you may feel like a headache or dry mouth. All of these types of symptoms That could mean that you need to talk to your health care provider, “he said. “But it’s a sign of my need for further care, especially if the skin is still very swollen and dark red with blisters after the first cool-down period away from the sun.”

For more information on sun safety and summer skin care, Sun safety page Located on the Cooperative Extension Service website.