Health Updates

Staying Sun Smart

Mina loves the look of her deep, dark tan. She spends as much time in the sun as possible. She has soccer practice after school, goes on long weekend bike rides with her friends, and heads for the beach in the summer.

Mina doesn't always bother to put on sunscreen. Whenever she does, she uses one with a sun protection factor (SPF) of only 4. She has already gotten several bad sunburns over the last few summers.

"I'm only 13," Mina told her pediatrician, laughing. "I don't think I have to worry about wrinkles just yet." Mina is wrong. Her skin is already permanently damaged.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Being outdoors is healthy for your body and your mind. Your skin needs a small amount of sunlight to help it produce vitamins A and D. Both are essential to good health.

However, if you spend a lot of time in the sun and don't use a sunscreen, you are taking several risks. You can get a painful sunburn, get premature wrinkles, and risk developing skin cancer when you're older.

Sunburn Solutions

Sunlight contains ultraviolet, or UV, rays. You can't see these rays, but they are always there, even on cloudy days. They cause you to tan. They also cause freckles, wrinkles, and sunburns. Just one bad sunburn can damage your skin badly enough to cause skin cancer.

Here's how to treat a sunburn:

• Get out of the sun.
• Put a cool compress on the burned area for 20 minutes, two or more times a day.
• Apply a moisturizer to the area three or four times a day.
• Protect your skin until it has completely healed. If you must go out in the sun, put on sunscreen and wear a hat and long-sleeved clothing.
• If the skin blisters or if you are in a lot of pain, call your doctor.

Skin Cancer

Up to one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year. It is the most common form of cancer. However, skin cancer can be prevented. If it is detected and treated early, it can also be cured.

The problem with skin cancer is that many people don't know they have it. Symptoms may not show up until much later. According to the American Cancer Society, over 7,000 people die each year from skin cancer.

You are at a greater risk for skin cancer if you:

• live in a sunny climate.
• have light-colored eyes, a light complexion, or fair skin that freckles or burns instead of tans.
• spend a lot of time in the sun.
• have a large number of moles, particularly those that have irregular shapes or colors.

Saving Your Skin

Sun damage to the skin begins early in life and builds over time. Getting a severe sunburn once or twice a year is especially dangerous. You can protect yourself from sun damage and skin cancer by doing the following:

• Check your skin regularly. Look for moles that have changed in shape or color. Keep an eye out for scaly, red patches that bleed. Also, watch for hard, raised, or waxy lumps or bumps. Ask someone to check your back and other areas you can't see easily.
• Limit your time in the sun. Stay out of the sun as much as possible, no matter what season of the year it is. Try to stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. This is when the sun's rays are most intense.
• Wear a sunscreen. Whenever you do go out in the sun, put on a sunscreen. It should be waterproof and have an SPF of at least 15. Do this even if it is cloudy outside.
• Cover up. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves. Wear sunglasses with UV-protective lenses.
• Avoid artificial tanning beds. These use a form of UV rays that are just as harmful as natural sunlight.
• Talk to your doctor. If you are taking medications, check with your doctor because many medicines make your skin extra sensitive to the sun.

A Final Warning

If you have smooth skin, it's hard to imagine that wrinkles could ever happen to you. But what you do today has a huge effect on your skin's health and appearance as an adult. Almost all of the sun damage to your skin will occur before you reach the age of 20, so take precautions now while you can protect yourself.

Just the Facts

1. What are two ways to treat a sunburn?
2. Name two risk factors for skin cancer.
3. Describe three ways you can protect yourself from sun damage and skin cancer.

Beyond the Facts

4. There are three different types of UV rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Using print or online sources, research each of these types. Record your findings in a brief report.
5. In the article, Mina's skin has already suffered damage. What, if anything, could she do from now on to protect her skin from further damage?

Applying the Facts

Make yourself a "Sun Calendar" for a week. Divide a sheet of paper into 7 columns, one for each day of the week. Think of the activities you usually do during each day, and how much time you spend outdoors or in the sun. (Remember, you are exposed to UV rays even when it is cloudy). Note these activities and the hours or minutes you spend exposed to the sun's rays.

Add up the hours for the week. Are you getting more sun exposure than you thought? How often do you remember to put on sunscreen during your normal activities? What steps can you take to better protect your skin?