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Sunshine, my brutal sunshine
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Children enjoying the summer sun. AP photo
The Valley of the Sun seems like heaven on earth with weather like we have had the last couple of weeks. The temptation of the golden rays is nearly irresistible, which makes the sun burns, heat exhaustion and lasting skin damage equally unavoidable.
Everyone who has been in the desert has heard the horror stories about carcinoma, melanoma sun spots, heat stroke and wrinkles. Veterans of the desert can be easily identified by the tell tale water bottles, sun screen streaks, hats and sunglasses for even the briefest forays into the heat. These simple protective precautions taken daily can prevent a variety of heat and sun related maladies.
Sun Recommendations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends protective clothing, sunglasses, sunscreen and moderation of exposure to UVA and UVB rays for all skin types. Sun burn is the number one sun injury and the most effectively avoided. The following is a Skin Type guide from the CDC designed to help people choose sun protection based on lifestyle and exposure history.
Skin Type | Tanning and Sunburning History | ||
I | Always burns, never tans, sensitive to sun exposure | ||
II | Burns easily, tans minimally | | |
III | Burns moderately, tans gradually to light brown | ||
IV | Burns minimally, always tans well to moderately brown | ||
V | Rarely burns, tans profusely to dark | | |
VI | never burns, deeply pigmented, least sensitive | ||
Sundicator.net (http://www.sundicator.net/uv-calculator/) offers a free calculator based on the cloud cover, altitude and UV index by skin type. The average UV index for Phoenix is 6.4 (http://www.bestplaces.net/City/Phoenix-Arizona.aspx#) and we average 299 days of sun (http://www.bestplaces.net/City/Phoenix-Arizona.aspx#) per year. Skin types are classified by the amount of tanning and burning a person experiences.
Based on the Sundicator calculator, a person of skin type II on an average day (UV index of 6.4) can safely stay in the sun for about 16 minutes unprotected. On a typical summer day (UV index of 10) this same person can be in the sun for 10 minutes unprotected. Children should always be considered skin type I or II while playing outside!
UVA and UVB Radiation
Ultraviolet light is invisible light reaching the earth from the sun that we cannot see. UVA is much more common than UVB and is deep penetrating, primarily responsible for premature aging and the development of cancer with prolonged exposure and/or severe damage. UVB is the culprit for sunburn and damage to the upper layers of skin. UV radiation is at its peak in the daylight hours between 9 AM and 4PM. The Skin Cancer Foundation (http://www.skincancer.org/understanding-uva-and-uvb.html) is an excellent resource for more in depth information on the effects of UV radiation on skin disease and aging.
UV Index
The UV index was created by the National Weather Service based on ozone depletion, season, weather and approximated sub behavior to predict the level of UVA and UVB radiation a day in advance on a scale from 1-11+, with scores of 6+ being considered high (note the average for the year in Phoenix is 6.4). The UV Index (http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html) is available daily and often advertised on the nightly news.
SPF
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and is a measure of the additional length of time a product will allow a person to remain in the sun without burning. An SPF of 15 indicates that, when properly applied, an individual can remain in the sun for 15 times longer than unprotected, based on their skin type. Using the Skin Type II example, with an SPF 15, the safe exposure time jumps from 16 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes.
SPF claims are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for effectiveness. It is important to note that the SPF rating only covers UVB protectiveness. The RN Guide to Skin Care (http://www.rn-guide-to-skin-care.com/What-Does-SPF-Mean.html) recommends purchasing a broad spectrum sun screen with one of the following ingredients:
Avobenzone/Parsol 1789/ butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane
Titanium dioxide
Zinc oxide
Anthelios SX
In addition to purchasing an adequate sunscreen and knowing how to use it, make sure that you are well hydrated, wear protective clothing (light breezy long sleeves and pants and hates), seek shade whenever possible, don’t forget your lips and wear UV protection eyewear! Reapply sunscreen every 30-90minutes (even if it says all day!) and try to keep the majority of errands and chores occurring during the morning and evening hours.
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