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Don’t Get Burned - Sun Health

Sunshine feels good. Summer or winter, it signals outdoor fun. Swimming, snowboarding, surfing, hanging out at park or beach. Look around and it seems like the beautiful people are soaking up the rays or sporting a great tan. But before you head to the beach or slopes, check out the 411 on the sun.

The Price of Tanning
You may not give much thought to your skin beyond the occasional zit or clogged pore but it’s your largest organ and the main barrier between your body and the environment. When you have a tan, even though you think it might look great, it is visible proof that your skin is being damaged. The damage can be both immediate and long-term, with effects ranging from sunburn, rashes, and tissue damage to premature wrinkling and skin cancer.

The sun’s rays contain two types of ultraviolet radiation; UVA and UVB. UVB radiation burns the upper layers of skin causing sunburns; UVA radiation penetrates to the lower layers causing tanning. UVA rays cause skin to age and UVB rays are often linked to skin cancer. Sun damage shows up as:

wrinkles
brown age spots
blotchiness
leathery, sagging skin that looks older than it is

To get a good idea of the effects of sunlight, look at your parents’ skin and see how different it is from yours. Much of that difference is due to sun exposure and only a small part is due to the fact that your folks are actually older than you are.

Skin cancer is epidemic in the United States. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, is the fastest-growing type of tumor in the United States. In fact, dermatologists are seeing patients in their teens and twenties with skin cancer these days - in the past, skin cancer mostly affected people in their fifties or older.

Pretty Tough Protection
Of course, if you never went out in the sun, you wouldn’t have to worry about any of this. But how realistic is that, especially if you play sports or are active outdoors? The best way to care for your skin is to protect it. Sunscreens, which act as a block to the sun’s harmful rays, are one of your best defenses against sun damage because they protect you without interfering with your comfort and activity levels.

Pretty Tough Tips

Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 everyday, even on cloudy days. If you don’t want to wear a pure sunscreen, try a moisturizer that has sunscreen in it.
Make sure the sunscreen blocks both UVA and UVB rays.
If you are going to be in the direct sun, wear a sunscreen with SPF 30. If you’re playing sports, make sure the sunscreen is waterproof and sweatproof.
The sun’s rays are strongest between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, so take frequent breaks indoors or in the shade during these hours. Follow the Shadow Rule: If your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun’s damaging rays are at their strongest and you’re at greater risk.
Wear a hat with a brim and sunglasses that provide almost 100% protection against ultraviolet radiation.
Be aware that reflective surfaces like snow and water can increase the amount of UV radiation to which your skin is exposed.

Pretty Tough™ Xtreme Screen™ SPF 30+ is one of the best products on the market. You can play tough but still stay protected. With it’s broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, patented formula including Parsol 1789, Xtreme Screen is completely greaseless, unscented, and dries to an absorbent powder. Lightweight and water and sweat resistant, it’s especially designed for athletes who play tough but want a competitive edge. Vitamin-enriched and loaded with natural ingredients, Xtreme Screen is as much sun care as skin care.

Dr. Ron Moy, a dermasurgeon at UCLA, is an avid sportsmen and father of two daughters who play tennis, ski, snowboard, and kayak. Dr. Moy says “Pretty Tough Xtreme Screen is great because it contains Parsol 1789 which blocks the longer and more penetrating wavelengths of ultraviolet light.”. Dr Moy adds “Please use sunscreen whenever you’re outside. We are seeing skin cancer and sun damage at earlier ages every year.”

So whenever you’re out and about, be pretty smart - put on your sunscreen and keep yourself safe from the sun.

Ask a Pro

Q: What’s the difference between sunscreen and sunblock? sun_luvr

A: Hey sun_luvr. It really helps to know your sun products. Sunblock deflects the sun’s rays with ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Sunscreens filter the sun’s rays minimizing their effects. Sunblocks are usually thicker, oilier and sometimes visible on the skin. Sunscreens are usually invisible after application and need to be reapplied throughout the day.

Sunburn Treatment

There is no fast-fix sunburn treatment. Once sunburn occurs, you can’t do much to limit damage to your skin. However, the following tips may reduce your pain and discomfort in the hours and days following sunburn:

Take anti-inflammatory medication, such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), on a regular basis according to the label instructions until redness and soreness subsides.
Apply cold compresses — such as a towel dampened with cool tap water — to the affected skin. Or take a cool bath.
Apply a moisturizing cream, aloe or 1 percent hydrocortisone cream to affected skin. A low-dose (0.5 percent to 1 percent) hydrocortisone cream may decrease pain and swelling, and speed up healing.
Some dermatologists warn against using products that claim to relieve sunburn pain but may actually irritate your skin or cause an allergic reaction. These include topical “-caine” products, such as lidocaine.

Keep in mind that it may take four to six hours after sun exposure to know the full extent and severity of sunburn. If blisters form, don’t break them. They contain your natural body fluid (serum) and are a protective layer. Also, breaking blisters slows the healing process and increases the risk of infection. If needed, you can lightly cover blisters with gauze.

Within a few days, your body will start to heal itself by getting rid of the top layer of damaged skin — the “peeling” process. Following this process, your skin may have an irregular color and pattern for a time.

Seek medical care for sunburn if: