Dangerous Season

By Ian K. Smith, M.D.

Ah, the sweet images of summer! Think of sunny skies, leisurely strolls in the park, lolling in a new swimsuit on a sandy beach. The season of sunshine is just around the corner. That's the good news. The bad news is that summer is the danger season for your skin. Each year 1.3 million Americans fall victim to skin cancer, and 9,000 of them die. Sadly, almost all of these deaths could have been prevented. The problem is that not enough of us are following basic sun-exposure precautions, especially for our children. That's evident from the results of a new survey by the American Academy of Dermatology. It shows that 13% of youngsters age 12 or under have experienced at least one sunburn and that 24% of parents admit they have never used sunscreen to protect their kids.

Clearly, many parents aren't aware of the special sensitivity of youthful skin. In the course of a typical lifetime, 80% of the sun's damage to the skin occurs during childhood and adolescence. That makes it all the more important to keep youngsters from getting sunburned during these critical years. Never mind the myths about a healthy tan. As much as we may feel that a glowing, burnished look is a sign of health and vigor, sunburns are in fact direct evidence of damage to skin cells. And contrary to popular belief, one sunburn doesn't protect you--or, more important, your children--from future harm. In fact, the sun's damage is cumulative: the more you burn, the greater your risk of skin cancer.

Easy-to-apply sunscreens are an ideal way to protect yourself and your children. But pay attention to the sun protection factor, or spf, rating on the label. It tells you how effective a product is in blocking out ultraviolet-B, the most damaging part of the sun's burning rays. The academy strongly recommends sunscreens with an spf rating of at least 15; some kinds are available with ratings as high as 60.

Unfortunately, protection against uvb doesn't guarantee protection against longer-wavelength ultraviolet-A, a second form of UV radiation that penetrates deeper into the skin. The academy and the fda are still trying to figure out how to test and rate the effectiveness of sunscreens against this part of the UV spectrum. Until they succeed, look for products designated as "broad-spectrum" sunscreens, offering some protection against both forms of UV.

While darker skin tends to burn less easily, everyone needs protection, including African Americans. Here are some simple rules you shouldn't forget:

--Use a sunscreen anytime you're out in the sun for more than 20 minutes.

--Apply it 15 to 30 minutes beforehand.

--Cover all exposed parts of your body, including less accessible places like the legs, the back of the neck and the tops of the ears.

--Reapply it immediately after swimming or sweating, or if you've been outside longer than two hours.

Remember also to limit your time outdoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest, and to wear enough clothes to cover your body comfortably. That bronzed glow may look good now, but it takes a toll on your skin that you will pay for the rest of your life.

For more information about your skin and the sun, search for the words Safe Sun Tips at www.aad.org E-mail Dr. Ian at ianmedical@aol.com