UV Safety Tips from Dr. Dalrymple!
- Skin is our largest organ and skin cancer, while largely preventable, is the most diagnosed form of cancer in the US.
- Dr. Dalrymple recommends applying sunscreen if you plan to be outside longer than 20-30 minutes. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, applying a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is sufficient for protection against intense sun exposure.
- Bonus tip: Regardless of the SPF number, your sunscreen will only work if you apply a shot glass amount to your whole body and reapply every 2 hours.
- Kids can start using sunscreen at 6 months old. Before that, they need to be in the shade. Most of our sun damage happens when we are young children, so it's imperative they are protected.
- Wear proper clothing, including light-weight, long-sleeved shirts, and pants when possible.
- Stick to the shade if possible, especially when UV rays are their strongest (10am-4pm).
- Protect your head and eyes with a hat and sunglasses. Sunglasses should be well fitting, block both UVA and UVB rays, and be ANSI approved (American National Standard Institute) for prescription and non-prescriptive sunglasses.
- Reflective surfaces such as bodies of water (lakes/pools) can increase the chance of sunburn.