No Suntan is a Safe Tan
July is UV Safety Month
7/20/2023
Nikole Larkin, Nurse Practitioner at Aspirus Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics
A little sunlight is
good for you. Your body uses it to make vitamin D, which keeps bones strong.
But it doesn’t take long for the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays to start causing
damage. That damage can lead to premature wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer, the
most common type of cancer in the United States.
“Many people go into
summer with the goal of getting a suntan, not realizing how incredibly damaging
it is to their skin,” says Nikole Larkin, Nurse Practitioner at Aspirus Plastic
Surgery & Aesthetics. “In fact, there’s no such thing as a safe tan and we
should be doing what we can to protect our skin from getting one.”
According to the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), when the sun’s UV rays beat down, your skin
tries to protect itself by kicking production of a pigment called melanin into
high gear. The added melanin provides a sun protection factor (SPF) of about 2
to 4—far below the minimum 30 SPF that the American Cancer Society (ACS)
recommends for sun protection. It’s the added melanin that causes your skin to
darken and that tan signals that you were out in the sun too long.
Reduce sun exposure
and skin cancer risk with these top tips from the ACS and the American Academy
of Dermatology (AAD):
SEEK SHADE
Don't stay out in
direct sunlight for too long. The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and
4 p.m. That's the time to stay in the shade. A good rule of thumb: If your
shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.
PUT ON A HAT
A hat with a 2- to
3-inch brim all around is a good choice, as is a shade cap (a baseball cap with
fabric down the sides and back). Baseball caps and straw hats offer less
protection.
WEAR SUNGLASSES
Melanoma can develop
in the eyes, so choose glasses that block 99% to 100% of UV rays and wear them
every day. Darker glasses don't necessarily mean more protection—check the
label to be sure.
WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
Cover as much of your
skin as possible. Dark colors and tightly woven fabrics offer the most
protection. To get an idea of how protective clothing is, hold it up to bright
light. If light comes through, the sun's rays can get through too.
USE SUNSCREEN
Choose a
broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of
30 or more. Apply it generously to all exposed skin before you go outside.
Reapply at least every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating. You should
follow these rules even when it's cloudy.
Medical grade
sunscreen and other skincare products are available for purchase at Aspirus
Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics.
USE LIP BALM
Protect your lips by
wearing lip balm that contains sunscreen.
“Taking extra
precautions now can give long-term benefits down the road, such as maintaining
a more youthful appearance and decreasing your risk of skin cancers,” says
Larkin.
Aspirus Plastic
Surgery & Aesthetics is located at 1901 Westwood Center Boulevard in
Wausau, Wisconsin with some providers now offering outreach in Rhinelander
and Plover. To learn more about products and services available, visit www.aspirus.org/plastic-surgery
or call 715.870.2162.
Back to all Posts