Body Wise*

*The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose or treat ANY medical condition.

Here Comes the Sun(burn)
Tips for Savvy Sun Protection

By Faith Jansen

Enjoying the outdoors, whether you are walking, gardening, or hiking, is a balancing act.
A holistic approach should fall somewhere between sun worship and a place where the sun barely shines on our bodies. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we should avoid the sun’s rays between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm.

Sun exposure has a price for all ages: skin damage. Many scientists and doctors believe that 85% of aging is related to sun exposure.

Here are some facts and suggestions that can help your family prevent sunburn, premature skin aging, and skin cancer.

Sun damage is cumulative. Everyone should use sunscreen daily, and that includes children. Babies under six months old must be kept in the shade at all times. Infants and young children need to use sunscreen that is at least SPF 25. Use a lip balm that is at least SPF 15. Most sun damage comes from daily exposure while walking to the car, sitting by a window, taking out the garbage, and walking children in strollers.

When spending a good length of time in and out of the sun, apply the sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before going outside. This allows time for the product to be absorbed, offering better protection. Use sunscreen even on a cloudy day because 80% of the sun’s rays penetrate cloud cover and reach your skin.

Sunscreen must be reapplied after sweating, swimming, or towel drying. It should also be reapplied every hour you are staying outside.

SPF Defined
There are two main kinds of ultraviolet rays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply, cause signs of aging, and are linked to some kinds of skin cancers. UVB rays are shorter but cause most forms of skin cancer. UVB rays can penetrate clothing, windows, skylights, and sunroofs: We are exposed to UVB rays all year round.

When it comes to sun protection, the idea is to block out UVA and UVB rays. That’s where sunscreen — and the SPF rating — comes in. SPF stands for “Sun Protection Factor” and is a measure of how long skin can be exposed to outdoor light without burning.

For example, if your skin turns pink after 10 minutes in the sun, a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15 would theoretically keep you from getting sunburned for 150 minutes. If you mix a product that is SPF 15 and SFP 30, you don’t get an SPF rating of 45. Applied liberally, the highest protection level will be SPF 30.

When choosing a sunscreen, read the label, and select one that offers broad spectrum — UVA and UVB — protection. There are three kinds of sunscreens available: mineral-based, chemical-based, or a combination of the two. A broad spectrum sunscreen should contain one, if not both, of the minerals titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. In some products, these minerals have claimed to reflect at least 90% of UV rays, Australian standard.

Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing and neutralizing UV rays rather than reflecting them. One of the most important ingredients to look for here is avobenzone, also known as Parsol 1789. This is the only FDA-approved chemical sunscreen ingredient for broad-spectrum protection. One of the disadvantages of chemical sunscreens is that people with sensitive skin may react to one or all of the ingredients.

Other ingredients to look for are oxybenzone, cinnamates (from cinnamon and mushrooms), and salicylates (from sweet birch or wintergreen).

Surprisingly, most clothing offers about SPF 9 in terms of skin protection, so be sure to combine sunscreen with long-sleeved shirts and slacks, plus a hat, for best protection.

Sun lovers, rejoice: You can get some sun and skin protection from the foods you eat. The list includes antioxidants — vitamins A, E, C, and selenium, green tea, and red grape seed extract — lycopenes (found in tomatoes); flavonoids (found in cocoa powder); and Omega-3 fatty acids (found in marine fish oils).

Faith Jansen, DT, is a licensed esthetician. She completed her diet technician training and AA degree in 1993 at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA. She is now a body care specialist at New Seasons Market, located in Lake Oswego, OR.