Sun Smart Living

SUN SMART LIVING

It doesn’t matter how old you are, it is never too late to begin protecting your skin (which also happens to be the largest organ of the body) from the harmful and damaging effects of the sun.

Many of you may have been diagnosed with Actinic Keratosis (know as AK for short) of the skin, which is indeed a pre-cancerous skin lesion. There can be a few, to literally hundreds of them developing on chronically unprotected sun-exposed skin. It takes years of unprotected sun exposure before these lesions develop. The people at greatest risk for Aks are those with fair skin, hair and eyes. They burn, and do not tan. Because of our cultural emphasis and obsession with the tanned or bronze skin, Aks are no longer a pre-cancerous skin condition of older people.

Once Aks have surfaced on the skin, is it too late to do something about it?

Fortunately, the answer is NO!!! Studies have shown that with vigorous sun control, one can actually reduce the total number of Aks throughout his/her lifetime, and even regress and resolve spontaneously some of the existing lesions. Therefore, vigorous sun control can be both medicinal and therapeutic. This is the GOOD NEWS!

So, what do you need to do? What is your responsibility?

It really boils down to a change in lifestyle and habits. You also need to ask the all important question: “Do I want to have the healthiest skin possible for the remainder of my life?” If your answer is yes, then Sun Smart Living (SSL) is for you. Remember, it is your choice and decision.

SSL encompasses 3 major areas. It also should be practiced 365 days a year.

I. Sun Avoidance. Avoid being out in the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM. The sun’s rays are most damaging to the unprotected skin during this time. If you need to be outside, it is imperative that you practice sun protection and use sunscreen. Try to do your outdoor activities before 10 AM or after 4 PM. Remember, many surfaces (water, snow, ice, asphalt, concrete, granite, etc.) reflect UVA and UVB rays.

II. Sun Protection. Wear a wide brim hat and sun protective clothing. The brim should be at least 4 inches wide, which cover the face, ears, and even the neck. A baseball hat or cap is totally inadequate. It will not, for instance, cover the ears, a very common area for Aks and cancerous lesions to develop, particularly in males. A white T-shirt is not considered sun protective clothing. In fact, it has a SPF (sun protection factor) of only 7. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants are recommended. Remember, a sun-tanned skin is damaged skin. Absolutely no tanning salons. Avoid sunburns at all cost. They are absolutely devastating to the skin.

To learn more on sun avoidance and sun protection, visit my website at: www.permanente.net, and go to the link labeled ‘sun protection’. While you are there, also visit the ‘sunprecautions.com’ website. This company sells sun protective clothing and hats.

III. Sunscreens. Applying a good and effective sunscreen to all sun exposed skin before going outside is absolutely essential. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on application and schedule. To learn more on sunscreen application, visit my website at www.permanente.net, and click on the link labeled ‘sunscreen guide’.

Selecting the right sunscreen is equally important. Unless you like the way it feels on your skin, chances are, you will not use it. There are countless sunscreen products on the market. It is impossible to know them all. Therefore, I will recommend here only the ones that I am familiar with. You should choose a sunscreen with a SPF 30 or higher.

Solbar Zinc SPF 38

Solbar Avo SPF 32

Both of these products are available only through our Kaiser pharmacies, or, can be ordered directly from the manufacturer, either online, or through the 1-800 number. The e-mail address and phone number are printed on the product and the container. These are excellent sunscreens. They are more on the lubricating side. For those who prefer something on the drier and less lubricating side, Neutrogena has some excellent products that you may enjoy using.

Neutrogena ultra sheer dry touch SPF 30 or 45

Neutrogena active breathable sunblock SPF 30 or 45

Obviously, if you are already regularly using a sunscreen, and it’s doing a great job for you, stick with it. There’s no need to change to something else.

Disclaimer
If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.

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