Still wincing from the red-hot sunburn you picked up over Memorial Day? Yeah, us, too. Guess burgers weren’t the only ones getting their
grill on this weekend. Standing outside for as little as 5 to 10 minutes is all it takes to char unshielded skin cells. The problem with that isn’t just the immediate blistering pain and horrible tan lines. The consequences are actually much more subtle. Just take a look at legendary musician Bob Marley.
“Bob Marley died from melanoma that went unrecognized on his foot,” says HealthiNation expert Bobby Buka, M.D., a New-York-based dermatologist. “Melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer which accounts for 48,000 deaths per year, worldwide – is now on the rise people ages 20 to 40,” he says.
Save your skin – and your life – this summer with these six sun-smart strategies from Dr. Buka.
Select a Sunscreen There are two types of sunscreens: physical and chemical blockers. “A physical blocker, which is more durable and effective, contains zinc or titanium,” Dr. Buka says. “It will sit on the surface of your skin and act like tiny mirrors, reflecting evil UV rays off your body, whereas chemical blockers absorb sunlight and, as a result, lose their structure and become deactivated.” On top of failing to act as armor, chemical blockers may also cause harm. Some contain ingredients, such as cinnamates, that can trigger irritation or allergic reactions.
Bathroom Run Reminder If you’re planning to be outside between 10 AM and 4 PM, you need to reapply sunscreen every three to four hours. Easy enough, but who actually remembers to do this? Consider this habit-forming trick: Every time you go to the bathroom – nature tends to call every three to four hours on average – slather on a fresh layer of the sun-shielding stuff right after washing your hands. Do this enough times (every day for the first three weeks of summer) and by July 4th you won’t think twice.
30 is the New SPF 15 In the past, you might have read that a minimum SPF of 15 would do the trick. But the truth is, you really don’t want to go below 30, recommends Dr. Buka. Any number above that offers negligible results. Make sure the sunscreen is “broad spectrum,” meaning it protects against both UVA (causes cosmetic damage, like sun spots and wrinkles) and UVB (linked to cancer) rays.
Soothe a Sunburn Sunblock isn’t bullet-proof. If you don’t reapply often or miss a spot, you can still end up with a stinging burn. When that happens, the best thing you can do is pop an ibuprofen. These over-the-counter anti-inflammatory meds have scientifically proven to ease pain and redness as well as reduce cosmetic photo-aging (aka, wrinkles) and lower the risk of developing skin cancer, Dr. Buka says.
Orange You Glad for Sunless Tanning Good news for airbrush-addicts: “Some formulas are mixed with zinc, so the can add protection to your skin,” Dr. Buka says. “However, others containing DHA – a chemical that interacts with the skin to give you that brown-orange color – will act more like finger paint than sunblock,” he adds. Before you step into the booth, make sure its loaded with the right formula.
Download this App Check out Dr. Buka’s new app called
SpotCheck (free on iTunes). It lets you upload photos of your most worrisome moles for a team of board-certified dermatologists to review. You’ll hear back within 24 hours whether you need to schedule an appointment with a derm near you to discuss any suspicious-looking moles
.
