(ARA) – Summertime heralds splashing in backyard pools, beach vacations and outdoor activities of all types. We like to think of it as a happy-go-lucky time when the whole family can enjoy reveling in the sunshine. Those happy rays, though, carry invisible dangers in the form of ultraviolet rays. Protection from dangerous UV light is so important that both the National Weather Service and Environmental Protection Agency provide a daily UV index.

To help ensure that everyone enjoys summer safely, Anthony James Petty, MLT, RMA, CMA and medical program chair at Brown Mackie College – Miami, shares helpful information on protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful effects.

“Overexposure to the sun causes premature aging,” says Petty. “Ultraviolet light affects the outer skin layers, or epidermis, and is the primary agent responsible for sunburn. Long-term effects of the sun also include a higher risk of developing skin cancer.”

The 2009 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SunWise Program report, Health Effects of Overexposure to the Sun, states, “The incidence of skin cancer in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and one American dies every hour from this devastating disease.”

Petty describes the process of burning and its effects on the skin. “Everyone has melanocytes, or pigment-producing cells, in the skin. As exposure to UV light begins to burn the skin, melanocytes send a color-producing pigment called melanin to the surface for protection. This causes the tan color, but each time it happens, it dries the skin and robs the melanocytes of their ability to respond.”

Petty recommends using sunscreen with SPF 15 protection or above, nothing below. “SPF 15 filters 92 percent of UV rays. Without protection, a fair-skinned person would begin to burn in just 10 minutes. Applying SPF 15 sunscreen lets that same person stay in the sun fifteen times longer before burning, or 150 minutes,” he continues. Petty notes it is important to reapply sunscreen every two hours, more often if you’re swimming. Chlorine from pools and salt from the ocean break down sunscreen formulas and weaken their effectiveness. Another consideration is the specific time of day you spend in the sun. Rays are strongest between noon and 3 p.m.

Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going out into the sun. “The skin needs time to absorb the lotion,” says Petty. “The lotion is absorbed, but the chemicals in the sunscreen are rejected and form the protective layer.” While it is recommended to re-apply lotion periodically, it is equally recommended not to overuse sunscreen. “Overuse of sunscreen can enable toxins to enter the bloodstream. This is dangerous and can lead to liver damage,” he continues.

How to treat sunburn
If you do end up with sunburn, Petty offers tips on how to treat it. “First make sure you cover up. Don’t burn on top of burn,” he says. “It can be dangerous. Second-degree burns cause painful blisters on the skin. Popping the blisters raises the chances of infection. If blistering appears, see a doctor.”

Advice for sunburn includes a cool shower, not hot, or an oatmeal bath. “A cool compress often helps,” says Petty. “Aloe is a natural emollient that is commonly used to keep skin moist.” Anyone suffering from sunburn should drink plenty of water. A headache that accompanies sunburn signals dehydration. “Nothing functions well without hydration. Drink water before you feel thirsty,” Petty says. “Colas and iced tea should be avoided, as caffeine will actually cause further dehydration. Sports drinks, however, will replenish electrolytes and hydrate faster.”

A little knowledge can go a long way to help ensure you stay safe in the summer sun. Protection from UV light now can lower the risks of documented health problems proven to result from overexposure to the sun’s harmful rays.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Choosing Skin Care Products

The process of choosing the right skin care products can definitely be tricky, what with the multitude of options that are available to us these days. If you want to maintain proper skin care and choose just the right products, here are a few tips that will help you out.

The first thing you need to do to choose the right products for your skin care is determine what type of skin you have. Basically people either have dry, oily, or normal/combination skin, and there is a very simple process that you can follow to figure out which skin type you are.

All you need to do is wash and pat dry your face like normal, and then take a small square of toilet paper or paper towel and stick it onto your forehead. If it sticks you have oily skin, if it falls right off you have dry skin, and if it sticks on for a minute and then falls off you have normal/combination skin.

Next in the process of choosing the right skin care products is to learn what is out there, what you have available to you. There are tons of fantastic products to choose from these days. You want to find only the ones that cater to your specific skin type. If you have oily skin for instance you are not going to want to use skin care products that are going to over moisturize because this will only increase the oil on your face.

On the other hand if you have dry skin you are going to need to use products that have moisturizers built into them so that your skin will be replenished and stay moisturized.

If you need help with this, the best person to speak to is a dermatologist. They are a trained professional in the area of skin and will be able to help you figure out what if any skin problems you have and which products are going to offer you the best results.

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In recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month this May, Olay and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) have joined forces for the third year for “Skin Cancer Takes Friends,” a nationwide free skin cancer screening program that encourages Americans to bring their friends to a participating dermasurgeon’s office for a free skin cancer screening. Screenings are quick, easy and painless — they are noninvasive visual inspections of the entire body and only take two or three minutes. Complete lists of dermasurgeons volunteering for the program are available on skincancertakesfriends.org and asds.net

“Desperate Housewives” star Marcia Cross joins in the effort to raise awareness about the risks of skin cancer based on her personal experiences with the disease. “I feel blessed to have the opportunity to speak out on behalf of skin cancer awareness, an issue about which I’m extremely passionate. Melanoma has stricken two people very close to me, and I know that I am not alone,” says the Emmy-nominated actress. Marcia Cross is dedicated to helping spread the word about this worthwhile program, and about the importance of sun protection and regular screenings in the fight against skin cancer.

“Too many lives are lost because of failure to identify skin cancer until it has progressed to a more dangerous state. Everyone, even those with no family history of skin cancer, is at risk for this disease and should visit a dermatologist for an annual screening. A trained professional can identify and treat the disease in its earliest stages, and potentially save a life,” says Alastair Carruthers, M.D., president of the ASDS and associate professor of dermatology at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham Medical Center.

Melanoma is especially hard to stop once it has spread to other parts of the body. However, it can be readily treated if detected in its earliest stages.

How can you stay safe?

1. Apply a daily moisturizer with broad spectrum sun protection every day before going outside, like Olay Complete Defense SPF 30 for the face and Olay Body Age Transform Intensive UV Defense Serum for the body.

2. Examine skin at least once a month to search for any spots that seem to have changed size, color or shape. Focus on your neck, chest and torso, and use a bright light, full-length mirror, hand-mirror and blow-dryer to inspect hard-to-see areas such as the scalp and back of the neck. For more information on self-screening, visit skincancertakesfriends.org.

3. Learn your “ABCDE’s of moles and melanoma” and alert your dermatologist immediately to any of the following key warning signs: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variability, Diameter larger than a pencil eraser and/or Evolving moles that change size, shape or color.

4. Schedule a screening appointment once a year in order to increase your chances of detecting and treating melanoma.

For more information, visit skincancertakesfriends.org and asds.net.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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