Summer Skin Protection

Summer is fast approaching! Soon, neighborhood pools will be opening and people will begin heading to the beach for vacation. We all know how important it is to protect ourselves and our children from the harmful rays of the sun. According to skincancer.org, one severe sunburn as a child can double a person's chance of developing skin cancer in his or her lifetime. Now is the time to start thinking about how to protect your family's skin from the sun.

Sunscreen is probably one of the first products that comes to mind when you think about sun protection. There are many different opinions regarding whether chemical sunscreens are more harmful than physical sunscreens. The Environmental Working Group published a report stating that the active ingredient oxybenzone, found in many sunscreens, has been linked to "allergies, hormone disruption and cell damage." However, in an article printed by the New York Times, dermatologists question the validity of that report. In addition, the American Academy of Dermatology website lists oxybenzone as one of the ingredients to look for in an effective sunscreen.

Regardless of which type of sunscreen you choose for your family, there are several other things to do to limit sun damage: avoid direct sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; wear protective clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts, SPF-treated clothing, hats, and sunglasses; seek shade; make sure you apply, and re-apply, a generous amount of sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outside, and every two hours after (or more if sweating or going in the water).