Ultra-Violet Rays Skin Cancer or Melanoma

By: Melody Rabor-Dizon

This time of the year always excites me because this is when I get the chance to repeat, clarify or “unchain” some misconceptions we may all have about certain things. With myself included, I have to make sure that the information I gather are correct and true.

And because the days are now longer and the nights seem shorter, I wanted to focus on our exposure to the source of our bright, blazing, burning SUN. Ultraviolet rays or (UV) has been gaining a lot of attention these past few years as researchers and scientists have more data supporting UV exposure and its relation to developing skin cancer or melanoma.

Per CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines, protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation is important all year round, not just during the summer or at the beach. UV rays from the sun can reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright This time of the year always excites me because this is when I get the chance to repeat, clarify or “unchain” some misconceptions we may all have about certain things. With myself included, I have to make sure that the information I gather are correct and true. And because the days are now longer and the nights seem shorter, I wanted to focus on our exposure to the source of our bright, blazing, burning SUN. Ultraviolet rays or (UV) has been gaining a lot of attention these past few years as researchers and scientists have more data supporting UV exposure and its relation to developing skin cancer or melanoma. Per CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines, protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation is important all year round, not just during the summer or at the beach. UV rays from the sun can reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright and sunny days. UV rays also reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow. Indoor tanning (using a tanning bed, booth, or sunlamp to get tan) exposes users to UV radiation.

The hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Daylight Saving Time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time) are the most hazardous for UV exposure outdoors in the continental United States. UV rays from sunlight are the greatest during the late spring and early summer in North America. It will only take as little as 15 minutes to be exposed to the harmful UV rays.

CDC recommends easy options for protection from UV radiation— Shade: Seek shade under an umbrella, tree, or other shelter. Use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re outside— and even when you’re in the shade.

Clothing: When possible, long-sleeved shirts, long pants and skirts can provide protection from UV rays. Clothes made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection. A wet T-shirt offers much less UV protection than a dry one, and darker colors may offer more protection than lighter colors. Some clothing certified under international standards comes with information on its ultraviolet protection factor. If wearing this type of clothing isn’t practical, at least try to wear a T-shirt or a beach cover-up. Keep in mind that a typical T-shirt has an SPF rating lower than 15, so use other types of protection as well.

Hat: Wear a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck. A tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin from UV rays. Avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through. Even if girls look cute on it. A darker hat may offer more UV protection. If you wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using sunscreen with at least SPF 15, or by staying in the shade.

Sunglasses: Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure. Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States, regardless of cost, meet this standard. Wrap-around sunglasses work best because they block UV rays from sneaking in from the side.

Sunscreen: Put on broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15 before you go outside, even on slightly cloudy or cool days. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all parts of exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like your back. And remember, sunscreen works best when combined with other options to prevent UV damage.

• How sunscreen works. Most sun protection products work by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering sunlight. They contain chemicals that interact with the skin to protect it from UV rays. All products do not have the same ingredients; if your skin reacts badly to one product, try another one or call a doctor.

• SPF. Sunscreens are assigned a sun protection factor (SPF) number that rates their effectiveness in blocking UV rays. Higher numbers indicate more protection. You should use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15.

• Reapplication. Sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.

• Expiration date. Check the sunscreen’s expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date has a shelf life of no more than three years, but its shelf life is shorter if it has been exposed to high temperatures.

• Cosmetics. Some makeup and lip balms contain some of the same chemicals used in sunscreens. If they do not have at least SPF 15, don’t use them by themselves.

My 2 cents on this: I have always been a sun–seeker and living here in Chicago, especially during our dark and gloomy days, does not help it either. It makes me go and be under the sun unprotected. I catch myself saying, “this is harmful” but, I bask in it anyway. I am only human that longs the warmth of the sun on my face, usually in March. I’m not really giving you a good example here, but I know just like you, growing up in a sunny country, I have been unaware of the harmful effects of unprotected sun exposure. Few new things I’ve learned that even in the shade, you still have to wear SPF, even inside the office, with the computer screen and reflection of sun in the snow can have harmful effects as well. We cannot be too overprotected with one-time application of SPF, but a reapplication is needed as well. Choosing a cosmetic line that already has SPF in it makes it less of “another thing to spread on our face and neck”. These are just insights to make us live our lives to the fullest, enjoying the company of family and friends on a gorgeous 70-degree weather, having a picnic, feeling the warm breeze of summer, all geared up with my hat, my shades, my clothing and SPF. Come Chicago summer, come, I am all ready for you.and sunny days. UV rays also reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow. Indoor tanning (using a tanning bed, booth, or sunlamp to get tan) exposes users to UV radiation. The hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Daylight Saving Time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time) are the most hazardous for UV exposure outdoors in the continental United States. UV rays from sunlight are the greatest during the late spring and early summer in North America. It will only take as little as 15 minutes to be exposed to the harmful UV rays. CDC recommends easy options for protection from UV radiation— Shade: Seek shade under an umbrella, tree, or other shelter. Use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re outside— and even when you’re in the shade. Clothing: When possible, long-sleeved shirts, long pants and skirts can provide protection from UV rays. Clothes made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection. A wet T-shirt offers much less UV protection than a dry one, and darker colors may offer more protection than lighter colors. Some clothing certified under international standards comes with information on its ultraviolet protection factor. If wearing this type of clothing isn’t practical, at least try to wear a T-shirt or a beach cover-up. Keep in mind that a typical T-shirt has an SPF rating lower than 15, so use other types of protection as well. Hat: Wear a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck. A tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin from UV rays. Avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through. Even if girls look cute on it. A darker hat may offer more UV protection. If you wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using sunscreen with at least SPF 15, or by staying in the shade. Sunglasses: Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure. Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States, regardless of cost, meet this standard. Wrap-around sunglasses work best because they block UV rays from sneaking in from the side. Sunscreen: Put on broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15 before you go outside, even on slightly cloudy or cool days. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all parts of exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like your back. And remember, sunscreen works best when combined with other options to prevent UV damage. • How sunscreen works. Most sun protection products work by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering sunlight. They contain chemicals that interact with the skin to protect it from UV rays. All products do not have the same ingredients; if your skin reacts badly to one product, try another one or call a doctor. • SPF. Sunscreens are assigned a sun protection factor (SPF) number that rates their effectiveness in blocking UV rays. Higher numbers indicate more protection. You should use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15. • Reapplication. Sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off. • Expiration date. Check the sunscreen’s expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date has a shelf life of no more than three years, but its shelf life is shorter if it has been exposed to high temperatures. • Cosmetics. Some makeup and lip balms contain some of the same chemicals used in sunscreens. If they do not have at least SPF 15, don’t use them by themselves. My 2 cents on this: I have always been a sun–seeker and living here in Chicago, especially during our dark and gloomy days, does not help it either. It makes me go and be under the sun unprotected. I catch myself saying, “this is harmful” but, I bask in it anyway. I am only human that longs the warmth of the sun on my face, usually in March. I’m not really giving you a good example here, but I know just like you, growing up in a sunny country, I have been unaware of the harmful effects of unprotected sun exposure. Few new things I’ve learned that even in the shade, you still have to wear SPF, even inside the office, with the computer screen and reflection of sun in the snow can have harmful effects as well. We cannot be too overprotected with one-time application of SPF, but a reapplication is needed as well. Choosing a cosmetic line that already has SPF in it makes it less of “another thing to spread on our face and neck”. These are just insights to make us live our lives to the fullest, enjoying the company of family and friends on a gorgeous 70-degree weather, having a picnic, feeling the warm breeze of summer, all geared up with my hat, my shades, my clothing and SPF. Come Chicago summer, come, I am all ready for you.