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Sunscreen

Sunscreen is vital step to protecting yourself from the sun’s damaging rays. Understanding the proper way to apply and use sunscreen is important to maximizing your protection. A good understanding of the UV Index and your location is also very critical in helping provide maximum protection.

• Be SunWise
• UV Radiation
• UV Index
• Sunscreen
• Drugs that Increase Sun Sensitivity

Be SunWise
Being SunWise is not just about painful sunburns and dehydration and heat stroke. Sun damage can lead to skin cancer.

DID YOU KNOW?

• You can get a sunburn on a cloudy day. Up to 80% of sun rays can penetrate clouds
• You can burn while in water? Water reflects the suns ray back on to you.
• Fresh snow reflects 95% of the sun’s rays
• Protecting skin and eyes during the first 18 years can reduce the risk of some types of skin cancer by up to 78%
• Although melanoma accounts for only about 5% of skin cancers, it is the leading cause of all skin cancer-related deaths - almost 80%

Limit your time in the sun between 10am & 4pm. Stay in the shade as much as possible. Always apply a broad spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 +. Be aware that some medications make you extra sensitive to the sun. Cover up with long sleeved shirts and long pants and a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV-protective lenses and drink plenty of water.

Ultraviolet Radiation

What are UV Rays?
UV rays are the sun’s invisible “burning” rays, which sometimes cause skin cancer. There is no “safe” UV light, so there is no such thing as a safe tan. The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs some of these harmful UV rays, but not all.

UVA, UVB, UVC what is the difference?
UVA rays have the same intensity all year round and more deeply penetrate the skin than UVB rays. UVA is more than 30 times more present in sunlight than UVB, and also is contributable to wrinkles, premature aging and sunburn.

UVB rays are the most common cause of sunburns and contribute to cataracts. UVB rays are stronger and more intense than UVA rays during the summer and at high altitudes.

UVC rays are the strongest and most dangerous and are affected by the weakening ozone layer.

The amount of UV rays you are exposed to changes with the time of day and the seasons and where you are located. UV radiation reaches the earth every day. You need to BE SUNWISE every day check today’s UV index for where you live.

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UV Index

The UV Index is the way scientists measure how much ultraviolet radiation is hitting the earth’s surface at any given point. The index is measured from 0 to 10+. The higher the number on the index, the greater exposure you will have to ultraviolet radiation. This translates to; the higher the number, the more quickly you will burn and damage your skin.

UV Levels Depend on Different Factors
Time of Day
The sun has the most powerful rays between the hours of 10am to 4pm. At noon, the sun is at its highest point in the sky, which at this time the sun’s rays have the least distance to travel through the atmosphere and UVB levels are at their highest. In the early morning and late afternoon, the sun’s rays pass at an angle through the atmosphere and the intensity of UVB radiation is significantly reduced. The intensity of UVA levels are not sensitive to the ozone and vary throughout the day similar to visible sunlight.

Time of Year
UV intensity varies throughout the year. This variation is due to the sun’s angle, which varies with the season. The UV intensity is the highest during the summer months.

Latitude
The sun is strongest at the equator, where the sun is most directly overhead and the UV rays have the shortest distance to travel through the atmosphere. The ozone is also thinner in the tropics as compared to mid and high latitudinal areas; therefore there is less ozone to absorb the UV radiation. In higher latitudes the sun is lower in the sky, which causes the UV rays to travel a greater distance through thicker ozone portions of the atmosphere, resulting in less intense UV radiation.

Altitude
At higher altitudes, UV intensity increases. This increased intensity is due to the reduced amount of atmosphere that is able to absorb the damaging rays at higher altitudes.

Weather
Clouds do help to reduce UV levels, but not entirely. The amount of protection depends on the thickness of cloud cover. Therefore, it is possible to burn on a cloudy day even if it does not feel warm.

* Information taken from United States Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov

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SunWise Sunscreen Tips

Approximately 80% of sun exposure and potential skin damage occurs before age 18. One exposure to the sun causing burning and/or blistering increases your chance of developing skin cancer by as much as 50%. Sunscreen is a vital step in protecting yourself from the harmful affects of sun exposure. Understanding what SPF is and the proper use of sunscreen is important to ensure full protection. Sunscreen should be worn on cloudy days and even in the winter months. The harmful UVA rays travel through glass, clouds, and reflect off of snow, water, and concrete.

How Sunscreens Work
Sunscreens protect your skin by absorbing and reflecting UVA and UVB rays.

SPF
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The SPF of a product tells you how long you may stay in the sun without burning from UVB light only. UVA light has not been formally tested to receive an SPF rating. To determine the amount of time a SPF allows you to be in the sun you multiple the SPF factor by the time it takes to burn when unprotected. For instance, a light skinned individual without protection usually burns in 20 minutes (this is dependent on the UV index). Therefore, the time allowed before burning using an SPF of 15 would be 15 X 20 or 300 minutes. However, this is just an estimate and excessive perspiration and exposure to water reduces the effectiveness of the sunscreen and reapplication should occur every ninety minutes.

It is recommended that you use a broad-spectrum SPF of 15 or higher. It should be noted that using a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 does not provide twice as much protection and does not allow for twice the length of protection as an SPF of 15. Rather an SPF of 30, when used properly provides skin protection from 97 percent of UVB radiation and only 1/30 of the harmful rays penetrate the skin. An SPF of 15 provides protection from 93 percent of UVB radiation and 1/15 of the harmful rays penetrate the skin.

* *Information taken from United States Environmental Protection Agency, The American Academy of Dermatology www.aad.org , The National Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov , and E. Lynn Lanoue BWI Consulting

Sunscreen vs. Sunblock
Sunscreen is a product that has a SPF of 2 or higher. A broad spectrum sunscreen is one that protects skin from any UVA radiation, no matter how small of an amount. To obtain broad-spectrum (UVA /UVB) protection look for sunscreen that contains an effective physical sunblock (example: over 5% zinc oxide) or a chemical sunscreen absorber that protects in the UVA range.

Sunblock is a product with an SPF of 12 or higher and a physical block. Sunblock contains a mixture of physical and chemical block ingredients. Chemical block is absorbed by the skin and sunlight is invalid upon contact. Physical block sits on the skin’s surface and does not have the ability to be absorbed. Light is than reflected away from the body, similar to a mirror or tin foil. Zinc Oxide is an example of both a chemical and physical sunblock which provides UVA and UVB protection. This sunblock is a highly reflective white chalky mineral that protects from damaging rays.

* Information taken from The American Academy of Dermatology, The National Cancer Institute, and E. Lynn Lanoue BWI Consulting.

UVB Chemical Sunblock Sunscreen Ingredients

• Cinnamates octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), Ethylhexyl p-Methoxycinnamate, non comedogenic
• Salicylates, octyl salicytate (OCS)
• Para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA
• Padimate-O, OCtyl dimethyl paba
• OCtocrylene
• Zinc oxide

UVA Chemical Sunblock Sunscreen Ingredients

• Oxybenzone, benzophenone, benzophenone-3
• Avobenzone, Parsol 1789
• Zinc oxide
• Titanium Dioxide

Water Resistance
According to the FDA, “water resistance” refers to sunscreens that must maintain their SPFs after 40 minutes of being submerged in water. “Very water resistance” or “waterproof” sunscreen must maintain their SPFs after 80 minutes. Both types must be reapplied regularly as water, towel drying and perspiring can reduce the protection provided.

Slop on the sunscreen!
One ounce of sunscreen, or a full shot glass, is needed to cover the average exposed area of an adult. Applying less substantially reduces your protection. Don't be fooled. There is no such thing as a "waterproof" sunscreen or all-day protection. Sunscreen should be applied 20-30 minutes before going outside and needs to be re-applied every two hours to maintain protection. Water resistant sunscreen needs to be applied to dry skin. Wet skin does not allow the sunscreen to adhere to the skin and therefore is easily removed during activity.

Be sure to cover often-missed spots- lips, ears, around eyes, neck, scalp, hands and feet. In addition, apply sunscreen to areas under swim suit straps, necklaces, bracelets and sunglasses.

Armed with sun-safety knowledge you can help prevent skin cancer for you and your loved ones.

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