| A:You are not alone. Countless vacations have been ruined because of the severe pain of bad sunburn.
Besides the woes of losing fun, time, and money down the drain, the sun’s ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a major cause of the alarming increase in skin cancer cases. The sun’s UVR is additive. Two thirds of our lifetime exposure is established by age 18. So the clock starts clicking early. Here are a few tips about prevention:
- Keep infants under 6 months of age out of direct sunlight wherever possible. Move that canopied stroller to the shade. Sun can be reflected by snow as well as water, sand, and concrete.
- The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Try to avoid these times.
- Dress with tight weaved, cotton fabrics in the summer. Use wide-brimmed caps and child-sized sunglasses labeled-UV protection.
- Don’t be fooled by an overcast day. UVR penetrates through clouds.
- If you are on a ski lift, use a face mask and goggles, with a good fitting cap.
Regarding your second question, select a sunscreen based on its sun protection factor (SPF), the spectrum of UV protection, and its resistance to removal by water.
SPF is the relative ratio of how long it takes to get sunburned with the sunscreen compared to using no sunscreen.
An SPF of 15 or greater is fine for most. SPF means that if you normally sunburn after 15 minutes with no protection, for an SPF of 15, you would get protection for 15 times 15 minutes or 225 minutes (3 and ¾ hrs.). An SPF of 30 would afford protection for 450 minutes (30 X 15).
SPF is the measure of protection against only UVB and some short wave UVA. Recent recommendations include the need for protection also against both long and short wave UVA.
A water resistant screen continues to afford protection after 40 minutes in the water, compared to 80 minutes for waterproof sunscreens. Re-application is recommended after swimming for 1 to 2 hours. Spots like ears, nose, hands and feet shouldn’t be missed.
- Before using any sunscreen, pretest a little on the back to make sure there is not an allergic rash reaction. Also, avoid getting any sunscreen or near the eyes.
- Baby oil and lotions are not protective against the sun.
- For very sensitive areas, such as the nose, ears, or near the eyes, zinc oxide or a sunscreen with micronized titanium dioxide are effective physical vs. chemical UVR blockers. When skiing, apply a physical blocker liberally to the nose.
| -- Take Home Message -- |
| Use a waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater, apply it 30 minutes beforehand, and reapply it after 2 hours particularly if child is swimming. Cover the face with a mask and use goggles when skiing. Get a sunscreen protecting against both UVA and UVB. Keep infants less than 6 months out of direct sunlight. Have fun and enjoy a safe, sunburn-less vacation-winter and summer.
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