Look after your skin this Summer

Be “Sun-Safe” this Summer!

With skin cancer, particularly sun-related melanoma an increasing problem, the British Association of Dermatologists are running their annual Sun Awareness campaign from April to September and this year May 5th – May 11^th  is Sun Awareness Week.

With summer and holidays around the corner now is a good time to start thinking about keeping your skin safe while in the sun and the Sun Awareness campaign highlights the importance of a sensible approach to sun exposure and how to detect skin cancers early. Not only does it encourage people to self-examine their skin for signs of cancer, it also seeks to teach about the dangers of sunburn and to discourage people from using sunbeds, which are known to be related to an increased rate of skin cancer.

Ultraviolet light is composed of UV-A and UV-B rays.

UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin and are nicknamed “UV-A (for Ageing)”, they can go through both glass and clothing and speed up skin ageing and increase the risk of skin cancer.

UVB rays - “UV-B (for Burning) “are partially stopped by the upper skin layers, cause burning and stimulate tanning.

We all need to be aware of the risks of sun exposure and there are some general rules which we should all follow, like keeping babies and small children under the age of three out of direct sunlight, avoiding the sun between the peak hours of 10 am and 4pm, seeking shade when possible and remembering that sunlight can affect the eyes, so wear sunglasses that provide 99-100% UVA and UVB protection for choice.

The MD Anderson Cancer Centre’s Five Tips for Using Sunscreen safely include:

1.      Get UV-A and UV-B protection.

 ALWAYS make sure that the sunscreen you buy protects against both       types of UV light, protecting against both sunburn from UV-B and potentially    cancer-causing UV-A. There are now brands of sunscreen which rely on the physical properties of their ingredients such as zinc or titanium dioxide to block the sun’s rays which you may prefer, but it is wise to check all these products out online or in consultation with your doctor if you have concerns.

2.     Choose SPF30 or HIGHER

It is the sun protection factor in the product which shields the skin. The minimum recommended is SPF 30 which absorbs about 97% of the burning rays, but SPF 50 only absorbs 98%, a mere 1% more, so  a higher SPF needs to be applied as often and in the same amount as SPF30.

3.     Apply sunscreen early and LOTS of it

Sunscreen does not absorb immediately so apply it 30 minutes before heading out. Most people do not use nearly enough, either: a leading dermatologist says: “You need to apply one ounce of sunscreen – the size of a golf ball to EVERY PART of your body exposed to the sun.” That is a lot of sunscreen as it includes ears feet and the back of the neck as well as arms, legs, back etc.

4.     Reapply sunscreen every two hours, minimum.

Sunscreen does NOT last all day. It wears off after a couple of hours and although it may say water-resistant it is never water proof. Water, snow and sand can all intensify the sun’s rays and make early reapplication necessary, while spray sunscreens simply come off more easily. In these cases it may be necessary to apply afresh after only 60- 90 minutes.

And that means another golf ball sized handful to each area.

5.     Don’t rely on sunscreen alone

Sunscreen is not a guarantee of sun safety, and as mentioned above other protective strategies include using a lip balm of SPF 30, a tightly woven hat with a wide brim, wraparound sunglasses with UV protection and either tightly woven dark, long sleeved shirts or the special sun-protective clothing now available, particularly for children.

 Keeping an eye out for skin cancer.

Many of us have moles and they are a common site for melanomas to arise. It is recommended that what we need to be looking for are changes in how moles look and when it comes to self examination for skin cancer there is a simple way of   approaching it. The American Academy of Dermatology A-E checklist is very useful, their recommendation is that is a mole or pigmented spot shows the following signs that you should immediately contact your doctor.

A – is for Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other half

B – is for Border irregularity: The edges are ragged, notched or blurred.

C – is for Colour that varies from one area to another.

D – is for Diameter: While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, they can be smaller. 

E – is for Evolving: A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or colour.

An interesting and easy exercise to assess your own skin cancer know how is the following quiz which is accessed via the following link.

http://www.aad.org/spot-skin-cancer/spot-skin-cancer-quiz

In the meantime I am sure that we all hope to see the sun at some point this summer, so keep your fingers crossed and be ready to enjoy its benefits for our bones, spirits and enjoyment of our beautiful countryside!