UV Safety Tips from Dr. Dalrymple!
Summer's far from being over yet, so make sure you're protecting you and your family from ultraviolet (UV) rays! Here are some tips and information from Dr. Anna Dalrymple about UV awareness and protection.
- 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.
Most of this advice, including the use of sunscreen, applies to every day of the year. Avoid tanning beds, seek shade whenever possible, cover up with clothing. Also, see a healthcare provider for a full and professional skin exam; they will look at moles and skin changes to nip potential skin cancer in the bud.
Go out and safely enjoy the sun this summer!
