Humana HealthBeat Transcript Archive

July 03

UV rays and sun protection

Children can acquire 50% of their lifetime sun exposure by age 18. This is important—because the bad effects of overexposure like skin cancer and aging, add up—and they last throughout life. So it’s not too early to encourage children to get in the habit of protecting themselves from the sun.

Damaging UV radiation can affect us anytime we’re outside, but it’s strongest during the sunny days of summer. Both UVB and UVA can contribute to skin damage. UVB intensity is greatest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., but UVA exposure continues throughout the day.

The best protection is avoidance, but that’s not fun or practical. The next best thing is blocking the UV light by wearing protective clothes. If light can be seen through the cloth, UV rays can come through. And dark cloth blocks more UV rays than light clothing. UV light can also damage eyes—sunglasses with UV protection can help to minimize the risk.

Most of us will use sunscreen to fight the rays—and most of us will put it on incorrectly. Make sure to apply the sunscreen generously—an adult should use about 1 oz. Make sure you give the product about 10 to 15 minutes to absorb before putting on makeup or clothing.

The SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, lets you know how long you can be exposed to UV radiation when you use sunscreen, compared to not using the sunscreen. For example, an SPF value of 6 means that a person can be exposed to UV radiation 6 times longer with sunscreen protection than without it before burning. An SPF of 30 absorbs more than 96% of UV radiation. The Food and Drug Administration recommends an SPF of 30 to provide the most adequate protection for most people.

Reapply the sunscreen every 1 to 2 hours or more frequently if you’re swimming or perspiring. Remember, though, that reapplying a sunscreen doesn’t protect you beyond the time limit of the product calculated by the SPF. Sunscreens labeled as “water resistant” or “waterproof” mean that they are effective for about 40 to 80 minutes in the water.

The labels of most sunscreens caution that they should not be used on infants less than 6 months of age. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that they may be used safely on younger infants if adequate clothing and shade aren’t available. Limit the use of sunscreen to areas that are exposed to sun, such as the face. It’s best, though, to dress them in protective clothing, or to avoid taking young infants out in sunlight as much as possible.

Resources:

American Academy of Pediatrics
www.aap.org

Sunscreens
Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/sun.htm

Protecting Kids From the Sun
Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/sunkids.htm

Seven Steps to Safer Tanning
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov/fdac/features/596_7sun.html

July 03
UV rays and sun protection
	Children can acquire 50% of their lifetime sun exposure by age 18. This is important—because the bad effects of overexposure like skin cancer and aging, add up—and they last throughout life. So it’s not too early to encourage children to get in the habit of protecting themselves from the sun. Damaging UV radiation can affect us anytime we’re outside, but it’s strongest during the sunny days of summer. Both UVB and UVA can contribute to skin damage. UVB intensity is greatest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., but UVA exposure continues throughout the day. The best protection is avoidance, but that’s not fun or practical. The next best thing is blocking the UV light by wearing protective clothes. If light can be seen through the cloth, UV rays can come through. And dark cloth blocks more UV rays than light clothing. UV light can also damage eyes—sunglasses with UV protection can help to minimize the risk. Most of us will use sunscreen to fight the rays—and most of us will put it on incorrectly. Make sure to apply the sunscreen generously—an adult should use about 1 oz. Make sure you give the product about 10 to 15 minutes to absorb before putting on makeup or clothing. The SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, lets you know how long you can be exposed to UV radiation when you use sunscreen, compared to not using the sunscreen. For example, an SPF value of 6 means that a person can be exposed to UV radiation 6 times longer with sunscreen protection than without it before burning. An SPF of 30 absorbs more than 96% of UV radiation. The Food and Drug Administration recommends an SPF of 30 to provide the most adequate protection for most people. Reapply the sunscreen every 1 to 2 hours or more frequently if you’re swimming or perspiring. Remember, though, that reapplying a sunscreen doesn’t protect you beyond the time limit of the product calculated by the SPF. Sunscreens labeled as “water resistant” or “waterproof” mean that they are effective for about 40 to 80 minutes in the water. The labels of most sunscreens caution that they should not be used on infants less than 6 months of age. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that they may be used safely on younger infants if adequate clothing and shade aren’t available. Limit the use of sunscreen to areas that are exposed to sun, such as the face. It’s best, though, to dress them in protective clothing, or to avoid taking young infants out in sunlight as much as possible.
	Resources: American Academy of Pediatrics www.aap.org Sunscreens Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/sun.htm Protecting Kids From the Sun Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/sunkids.htm Seven Steps to Safer Tanning U.S. Food and Drug Administration www.fda.gov/fdac/features/596_7sun.html