Sunning skin

With hot weather, more people will spend time outdoors. Dermatologists warn that people should take proper precautions to avoid sunburn and long-term problems, such as skin cancer.

Sun Protection Factor

SPF refers to how long you can stay outside before burning. Use SPF 30 or higher. SPF 30 means that if you normally burn in 10 minutes, a properly applied sunscreen will protect you for 300 minutes.

Baby Care

Cover infants with clothing whenever possible. For any exposed areas of skin, use a sunscreen or sunblock whose primary ingredient is zinc oxide, the substance found in diaper rash treatments.

Prevention

  • Wear wide-brimmed hats.
  • Apply sunscreen before going outside; reapply after 20 minutes, then every two hours.
  • Skin damage is cumulative, so consider using sunscreen or sunblock anytime you’re outside.
  • Some specialty clothing uses material made with built-in sun protection.

  • Rit Dye makes a protective product, Sun Guard, that is washed into clothes.

Ultraviolet rays

  • While UVB rays have been blamed for skin cancer, dermatologists are just as concerned about UVA rays.
  • UVA rays have a longer wavelength than UVB.
  • Most sunscreens and blocks do well against UVB.
  • For UVA protection, pick a product with at least 9 percent zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
  • UVB rays are most prevalent from 10 a.m.-4 p.m, but are present dusk until dawn. Clouds don’t block them.

Skin cancer stats

  • Cases per 100,000 people: male, U.S.: 19.4; female, U.S.: 12.4
  • An estimated 55,100 new cases of melanoma will surface this year nationwide.
  • Melanoma is the deadliest, but not most common, skin cancer.
  • 10,250 deaths from melanoma are expected in the United States this year.
  • Two other skin cancers, basal and squamous, combine for more than 1 million cases a year.

Symptoms: ABCDs of melanoma

  • Asymmetry: pre-existing mole grows in a new direction.
  • Border irregularity: mole develops ragged borders.
  • Colors: reds, pinks, blues and browns in the mole.
  • Diameter of more than 6 millimeters.
  • New moles should also be checked out.
  • Late stages of melanoma involve skin bleeding.
  • Basal: flesh-colored, scaly patch of skin.
  • Squamous: wartlike, bleeding patch of skin.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; American Cancer Society; Huntsman Cancer Institute; Leonard Swinyer, University of Utah School of Medicine.