Sunshine On My Shoulders

Ah summer is here at last!  Time for spending quality time outdoors hiking, swimming, fishing, laying on the beach, playing volleyball and all the other summer activities.  The sun is shining brightly.  But what does that mean these days?  We all hear about the dangers of too much sun – but why is it so dangerous?  And is it only dangerous when it is sunny?

The sun emits ultraviolet rays or UV rays constantly – year round, not just in the summer.  Most folks think it’s just the summer when you need protection but that’s not true!  Anyone who has every had a skiing sunburn knows what I am talking about.  It’s just that in the summer months, the Earth is actually closer to the Sun and therefore the rays are stronger and even more dangerous.  But what makes them dangerous?

The thing that make these rays so dangerous is that they are invisible – we tend to not worry about what we don’t see.  But, these invisible rays can cause serious burns and even skin cancer but many people, in search of the perfect tan, ignore the fact that they are doing permanent damage to their bodies if they do not use some kind of protection from the rays.  When I was young – I ignored it too!  Baby oil was my favorite thing to use to get that perfect tan.  Baby oil is worse than using nothing!

Here’s some UV facts to consider. First – There are three types of UV rays:  UVA: Are more constant year-round and penetrate deeper into the skin’s layers; UVA rays are also harmful and contribute to burning, premature aging of the skin, and the development of certain forms of skin cancer. UVB: Are the primary cause of sun burning, premature aging of the skin and the development of skin cancer. UVC: Are blocked by the ozone layer and do not reach the earth’s surface. It’s a fact: Overexposure to the sun can result in skin cancer later in life. What are your family’s risks from exposure to powerful UV rays? Consider these facts and statistics.

Second, the dangers of UV exposure include: You can sunburn even on a cloudy day; On average, children get 3 times more exposure than adults; Concrete, sand, water, and snow reflect 85% to 90% of the sun’s UV rays; Depletion of Earth’s ozone continues to increase your exposure to UV rays;

Lastly a few sun skin cancer facts. In some parts of the world, melanoma is increasing at rates faster than any other cancer; More than 1.2 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the US; Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, kills one person every hour; One blistering sunburn can double a child’s lifetime risk of developing skin cancer. (Source www.sunsafetyalliance.org).

So now we get it!  We need protection but that in itself can be dangerous too!  We don’t want skin cancer so we slap on a handful of chemicals designed to block the rays without thinking that these chemicals could be causing more damage than the UV rays.  What to do?

There are currently a large number of mineral based sunscreens to choose from.  Mineral based sunscreens are much better for your skin than the chemical based screens and in most cases they may even work better to block the rays.

There is a ton of data about what products are safe and which are not.  The best way to decide for yourself is to check out the Environmental Working Groups “EWG Skin Deep” website that comes out every year with all the current facts and products with regards to protecting yourself and your family.  You can find them here at http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/

As noted by the EWG, the best protection will always be a hat and a t-shirt!  Happy Summer!