The good weather has finally arrived and it’s hard to resist the urge to spend hours outdoors. But that does not mean we shouldn’t be careful, especially when it comes to children.
Research shows that most of our total sun exposure occurs during childhood 1 and those who are sunburned when young are at greater risk of developing skin cancer – the most common cancer in Canadians. Diagnoses of the deadliest skin cancer, melanoma, are also on the rise.
The importance of using sunscreen
Sunscreens use mineral and chemical blocking agents to prevent harmful UVA and UVB rays from penetrating the skin.
- Sunscreens have many health benefits, including:
- they protect us from sunburn
- they help prevent skin cancer
- they offer protection against premature aging of the skin
However, some of the common ingredients in sunscreens raise concerns. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) cites recent reports from the United States Food and Drug Administration which conclude that common chemical ingredients in sunscreens, such as avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and others, are systematically absorbed by the body after a single application and that traces of these chemicals can be found on the skin and in the blood for weeks after their use.
This is why the FDA has determined that two of the chemical ingredients in sunscreens, para-amino benzoic acid (PABA) and trolamine salicylate, are NOT generally safe and effective. On the other hand, mineral ingredients, namely titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, are considered generally safe and effective. These often have a chalky appearance after application.
Choose the right sunscreen
Opt for a mineral sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide, but check the sun protection factor (SPF). Many cosmetics and moisturizers offer an SPF of 15, which might be enough for a typical workday where you only go outside for a few minutes, but will not be enough for out-of-doors doings or a day at the beach.
Transform Health and Wellness recommend choosing a sunscreen:
- whose SPF is at least 30;
- waterproof;
- broad-spectrum (i.e. it safeguards against both UVB and UVA rays);
- whose expiry date has not passed.
If you plan to spend time outdoors, use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, but no more than 60. Sunscreens with an SPF above 60 don’t provide extra protection, but they encourage people to stay outside longer or reapply sunscreen less often because they feel more protected. Opt for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.
Wondering which sunscreen you should buy? The Canadian Dermatology Association provides a list of 7 recognized sunscreens that you may find useful.
How to apply sunscreen correctly?
Sunscreen should be applied 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and then reapplied every two hours or immediately after swimming, even if it is water repellent. It is also essential to use a sufficient quantity. Using too little sunscreen results in less effective protection, and most people only use about 25% of the recommended amount. 8 The average person should use about a quarter of a normal-size bottle for optimal protection. This amount is equivalent to the size of a golf ball or the amount in a shot glass. A normal-size bottle should therefore only be sufficient for four applications.
Other ways to protect your skin
In addition to using sunscreen, it is important to adopt other behaviors to protect yourself from the sun, such as wearing a wide-brimmed hat at least 3 inches wide and sun-protective clothing.
The protection offered by the garments depends on the weave and the chemical additives added to the fabric. Darker colors block more UV rays. For the best protection, look for clothes labeled with a UV protection factor of 50.
Don’t forget that your eyes can also be damaged by the sun; so wear sunglasses. Babies should wear them too.
Another way to protect your skin is to pay attention to the time of day you expose yourself to direct sunlight. It is between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. that the UV index is highest at 9; if you are outside between these hours, it is best to seek out places with lots of shade. To get an idea of how strong the sun is at different times of the day, just look at your shadow. The sun is strongest when your shadow is smaller than you.
With the right sun protection, you can safely get outside and enjoy the long-awaited Canadian summer with your loved ones.
Prevention is key
Using sunscreen and other methods to protect your skin from the sun’s rays can be a key step in preventing sunburn and skin cancer. It’s one of the many things you can do for preventative psychological healthcare.
