July is recognized as UV Safety Awareness Month. Dr. Sara Holmes, who works in family medicine at Care New England Health System, recently spoke with Providence Business News about how people can protect themselves against ultraviolet radiation. She also provided tips for UV health.
PBN: Why is July recognized as UV Safety Awareness Month?
HOLMES: People usually spend more time outdoors during the summer, especially in July, which increases their exposure to harmful UV rays from the sun. That’s why July is widely recognized as UV Safety Awareness Month.
PBN: At what UV Index are people at risk of sunburn and skin damage?
HOLMES: A UV Index of 3 or higher poses a risk of sunburn or skin damage for most people. The higher the number, the greater the potential for skin damage. Everyone is at risk of skin cancer, regardless of skin color. Those with fair skin and a family history are at the highest risk.
UV rays are invisible radiation from the sun. There are two main types: UVA rays, which penetrate deep into the skin and are likely to cause sunburns and skin cancers, and UVB rays, which tend to cause skin damage like wrinkles and sunspots.
PBN: What are the signs of sunburn and skin damage?
HOLMES: We often think of sunburn as red or pink skin from a long day in the sun. But a bad sunburn can be painful and sensitive. Your skin may feel warm, itchy, or swollen. In severe cases, you may get blisters, or skin may begin peeling several days later. Extreme cases of sunburn can lead to sun poisoning. Those symptoms include fever, chills and nausea. Long-term sun damage can lead to brown spots (sunspots or age spots), premature aging like wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and skin cancer.
PBN: How can people best protect themselves from skin damage?
HOLMES: Your best protection is sun protection, like sunblock. An SPF 30 will protect about 97% of UV rays. But if you get up to SPF 50, that protects you even more. You can also wear UV-blocking clothing.
You should also avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the UV rays are strongest. Even if it’s cloudy, you have to be careful. You will still get about 80% of UV rays coming through the clouds. And you’re not safe in the pool either; the pool water reflects the rays, making a sunburn more likely.
PBN: How does UV radiation contribute to skin cancer? What are the initial signs of skin cancer?
HOLMES: UV radiation can harm the DNA in skin cells and lead to cancer. You should perform regular skin checks for signs of skin cancer. Remember the A-B-C-D-Es:
- A is for asymmetry – one half of a spot or mole doesn’t match the other.
- B is for border – irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined borders.
- C is for color – the appearance is varied with shades of brown, black, red, white, or blue.
- D is for diameter – the lesion is larger than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser).
- E is for evolving – the lesion has changed in size, shape, or color over time.
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.
