UV Protection

Did you know that exposure to sunlight during the winter months puts you at the same risk as exposure during the summertime? There are a number of things you can do to prevent sun damage in any season. This is a short list of the things you can do to control sun damage to your skin:

1) Seek shade between 10 AM and 4 PM. This is the time of day that the sun’s rays are at their strongest and can do the most damage.

2) Cover up; don’t spend a lot of time in the sun with a bathing suit on. Cover up with towels, tee shirt or robe. Areas of your body that have not seen the sun in a long time are vulnerable to the sun’s damage.

3) Wear wrap-around sunglasses; use the kind that block as close to 100% of UVA rays as possible.

4) Use a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears and neck. If your hair is thin or you are bald or balding, the uncovered areas of your scalp can sustain a bad burn.

5) Use sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher on any skin areas that will “see” the sun.

Sun Damage to the Skin

We often link together a glowing complexion or sun-tanned skin with good health. If you are a “sun worshiper”, damage to your skin from days in the sun or a tanning booth may not become apparent until later in life.

Exposure to the sun causes a variety of conditions to occur; these are:

• Pre-cancerous and cancerous skin lesions caused by the loss of the skin’s ability to fight off disease

• Benign skin tumors

• Discoloration of the skin, including freckles

• Skin lines, including fine and course wrinkles

• Blood vessels that may raise closer to the surface and dilate under the skin