Sunburn and Sun Poisoning (cont.)
How can sunburn and skin cancer be prevented?
The ideal methods of preventing sunburn, and hopefully skin cancer, involve:
- Limit the amount of time of sun exposure and avoiding the peak sunshine
hours of late morning to early mid-day, generally 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
- Wear protective clothing such as a broad-brimmed hat (at least 6
inches), long- legged pants, and shirts with sleeves that cover the arms
(thicker fabrics and dark clothing in general protect better compared with light
clothing - there are clothing products available that offer "UV" protection);
- Be aware that sunburn can occur even on a cloudy day (clouds don't stop
the ultraviolet rays), and even when you are in the water;
- Remember that sand, water, and snow reflect the sun's rays and increase
the chance of burning during beach activities or skiing; and
- Use a protective sunscreen to minimize the penetration of UV rays.
Sunscreens with a skin protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 are recommended
for everyone exposed to the sun. It is recommended that light skinned people use
a higher SPF when in direct sun. This should be applied several minutes before
going into the sun and reapplied often.
How do sunscreens work?
Sunscreens protect the skin by absorbing or reflecting the UV radiation. It
is important to realize that many available sunscreens protects mainly against
UVB and may not adequately protect against long standing UVA exposure.
Sunscreens may be classified into two groups, physical sunscreens and
chemical sunscreens.
Physical sunscreens
- Physical sunscreens act by reflecting and scattering the UV rays (A and B)
and thus, limiting their exposure to the skin.
- They include chemicals such as
zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, ferric chloride, ichthamnol, and talc.
- Their use
has been somewhat limited by their opaque appearance and tendency to stain
clothing.
- Current preparations of zinc oxide are more cosmetically acceptable
and easier to use.
Chemical sunscreens
- Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing the light prior to reaching the skin.
- Traditionally, these sunscreens have protected mainly against UVB rays.
- Some
examples of this group include para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), PABA esters,
salicylates, and camphor derivatives.
- More recently, newer sunscreens have been
developed to also absorb UVA such as avobenzone, Mexoryl, dibenzoylmethanes,
anthranilates, benzophenones, triazoles, and some camphor derivatives.
- PABA has
been essentially phased out of sunscreen preparations because of the high rate
of allergic reactions to this chemical.
The most recommended practice is to use a combination of physical and
chemical sunscreens for the most adequate protection.
Next: What is SPF? »
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