Sun Safety
Summertime is fun time to spend outdoors. But in sunny Florida, that means more exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Those UV rays can damage unprotected skin in as little as 15 minutes and even lead to skin cancer. Here are some tips to keep you sun safe all year long.
Seek Shade
One of the easiest ways to reduce your exposure to damaging UV rays is to get in the shade. Seek shade under a tree, umbrella or another shelter in order to reduce your risk of sun damage. You’ll help your skin look younger longer and lower your risk of developing skin cancer.
Protective Clothing
Cover up with long-sleeved shirts and long pants when you can to protect your skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays. There are clothing options available that contain a UV protectant built into the fabric. Also, remember that a wet t-shirt provides less UV protection than a dry one, and darker colored clothing protects better than light-colored clothing. Don’t forget to top it off with a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and back of the neck. If you choose a baseball cap instead, be sure to protect your ears and the back of your neck with sunscreen of at least 30 SPF.
Sunglasses
Choose sunglasses that are labeled UV protectant to reduce the risk of developing cataracts. Most of the sunglasses sold in the U.S. block both UVA and UVB rays. Sunglasses also protect the skin around your eyes from sun damage, and wrap-around sunglasses are an excellent option to block UV rays that might sneak in from the side.
Wear Sunscreen
Choosing the right sunscreen can be daunting, so we recommend following these four rules to make it easier:
- Broad-spectrum – Broad-spectrum sunscreen protects the skin from both ultraviolet A (also known as UVA) and ultraviolet B (also known as UVB) rays. Both of these rays can cause skin cancer.
- SPF 30 or higher – The sun protection factor (SPF) rating indicates how well a sunscreen protects you from the sun by blocking harmful UVB rays. Choose a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to make sure you are protected.
- Key ingredients – Look for active ingredients like ecamsule, avobenzone, titanium dioxide, sulisobenzone or zinc oxide. Beware of products that include oxybenzone or octinoxate which are harmful to the environment. Some areas of Florida have banned the sale of sunscreen with oxybenzone and octinoxate because these chemicals can damage coral reefs.
- Avoid tanning oils – They generally do not provide enough protection against the harmful effects of the sun.
How to Apply Sunscreen & How Often
To get the maximum protection from your sunscreen, follow these recommendations:
- One ounce of sunscreen is considered the right amount. Cover all exposed areas of the body thoroughly. Don’t skimp. Many people don’t use enough sunscreen.
- Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going in the sun. Don’t forget the tips of the ears, feet, back of the legs and bald spot (if you have one). Reapply sunscreen every two hours and use a UV-protective lip balm to cover your lips.
- If you are exercising or are in the water, it’s a good idea to get a sunscreen that is resistant to water and sweat. The FDA defines water resistant to mean that the SPF level stays effective after 40 minutes in the water. Very water-resistant means it is effective after 80 minutes of swimming. These sunscreens are not waterproof, so reapply regularly.
Protecting your skin from the harmful rays of the sun can help you look younger and prevent skin cancer. Just to be on the safe side, be sure to get a skin cancer screening every year, so if you do develop skin cancer, it can be detected and treated early.
Schedule a skin cancer screening at your nearest Water’s Edge Dermatology office.
Is Blue Light from Screens Bad for Your Skin?
Updated: June 3, 2020
Americans are inseparable from their screens, and it’s not just teens staying up late into the night on YouTube and Snapchat. A Nielsen survey found that adults over age 65 spend nearly 10 hours a day watching TV and using computers, smartphones and tablets. The blue light those screens emit can rob us of sleep if we don’t power down a few hours before bed. (Blue light suppresses the release of melatonin, which induces sleep.) But lately, some people have been wondering: Is blue light bad for your skin?
Researchers have begun to investigate whether too much screen time might accelerate skin aging and even cause dark patches to form.
As you read this article in the glow of a digital device, you’ll discover what scientists know and don’t know, and what you can do to protect your skin if you’re concerned about blue light damage.
What is blue light?
Visible light from the sun is made up of rays from all the colors in the rainbow — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Light in the blue/violet range, also called high energy visible (HEV) light, has a short wavelength and more energy than other colors. It’s the scattering of these rays that makes the sky look blue in the daytime.
Your home is probably awash in artificial sources of blue light, including screens and also LED lights, compact fluorescent light bulbs (the coil-shaped variety) and any fluorescent lights you may have.
What are the concerns about blue light and skin damage?
A small amount of research suggests that exposure to blue light from digital devices could potentially damage the skin, causing premature aging and hyperpigmentation, or dark patches. (There’s no evidence that blue light causes cancer.)
In one experiment, scientists exposed skin cells that make collagen (the main building block of skin) to light from two models of iPhones and an iPad. After just one hour, the cells experienced oxidative stress, which is thought to contribute to skin aging and wrinkles. However, the screens were positioned just one centimeter from the skin cells — a whole lot closer than you hold your smartphone or tablet to your body.
Other research suggests that too much exposure to blue light may cause hyperpigmentation in certain people. In one study, exposing skin to blue-violet light caused dark patches to form in those with a medium or dark skin tone (not fair-skinned people), and the patches lasted for three months. Red light had no such effect. In a later study, skin cells that produce melanin, the dark pigment responsible for skin tanning, seemed to respond to blue light by making more pigment. Dark skin is rich in melanin.
What we don’t know
These studies raise interesting questions, but much more research is needed to know what harm to the skin, if any, artificial blue light causes.
Some studies have found no evidence that exposure to blue light from devices causes skin problems. A report published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 202o found that exposure to light filtered to contain the same color as device by screens for eight hours on five consecutive days didn’t worsen melasma, a condition that causes dark patches on the skin. Blue light from the sun does cause melasma to flare up.
“We don’t need to be overly worried about this at this point,” said Dr. Ted Schiff, founder and chief medical officer at Water’s Edge Dermatology. “All of the research that has been done in the past 50 years has been about ultraviolet light, first UVB and now UVA. It’s only recently that people have considered visible light on the skin. That’s all being researched now. The main focus of skin protection is always going to be ultraviolet rays — they are much more powerful and damaging than any visible wavelengths.”
What can you do if you’re worried?
If you’re concerned about blue light from screens, some fairly simple steps can lower your exposure. In most cases, you can reduce the amount of blue light your computer, tablet or smartphone emits by switching the display settings to “dark mode.” (You can find instructions online.) You can also purchase clear screen coverings designed to filter blue light or download apps that do so.
Some skin care products are said to block blue light (regular sunscreen doesn’t). But be prepared to pay a high price for questionable benefits. Only sunscreens that contain the minerals titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or iron oxide block blue light. In the first two cases, only products that look white on your skin do the job.
“Very little research has been done on these products,” said Dr. Schiff. “Current sunscreens have been tested only for UV, but not any other wavelengths.”
You can also find skin care products containing antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which in theory help prevent or repair damage from oxidative stress. In addition, some “sun supplements” claim to protect you from free radicals and UV rays from inside the body. But eating colorful foods and using sunscreen are likely the best bets.
“A healthy diet and lifestyle and use of sunscreens have proven to be effective, compared with supplements that have not been rigorously studied or approved by the FDA,” said Dr. Schiff. “The best way to avoid free radical damage is by wearing sunscreen.”
Finally, to cut down on blue light exposure from screens, consider a digital diet —maybe take a walk after dinner instead of binge-watching Netflix. Unlike the effects of screens on skin, the (positive) effects of walking are well known.
Written by: Timothy Gower, an award-winning journalist who writes about medicine and health. His work has appeared in more than two dozen national magazines.
Medically Reviewed by: Ted Schiff, M.D.