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You only get one skin to last a lifetime. Take care of it now, so that it can take care of you later. If you visit any victim of malignant melanoma and ask them if the bronzed look is worth the repeated surgeries, hospitalization, chemo-therapy, suffering, expense, loss of good health, disfigurement and risk of premature death they are continually experiencing, they will tell you that the "great tan" just isn’t worth it.
Danger at High Noon
Sunburn risk is highest between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm, times when Scouts are generally active in camping and hiking. Risk is also highest when on or near reflective surfaces such as water, light sand or rock, or snow, all of which double the exposure. High altitude increases risk considerably, due to less filtration by the atmosphere (e.g. during a given time interval, those at sea level are less vulnerable to severe sunburn than those at 10,000 feet while on a mountain climb, skiing, or similar high altitude experience). Cloudy weather also affords no protection against UV radiation. Only infrared (heat) radiation is lessened by clouds, but sunburn will continue to occur during overcast skies. All of these conditions are ones commonly found during summer camp, hiking and backpacking, or even during Cub Scout Day Camps.
The incidence of malignant melanoma, the often lethal form of skin cancer, has increased almost exponentially among young people who frequently expose themselves to sunlight. While tanning salons will claim that their technology is "FDA approved" or "safe" and less harmful than sunburn, dermatologists tend to agree uniformly that ANY exposure to UVA, UVB radiation regardless of the source has potentially cumulative, long-term, harmful and irreversible damaging effects.
Chronic exposure to UV radiation is insidious and cumulative, and each exposure lessens the ability of the skin to recover, and damages connective tissue resulting in wrinkling and leathery appearances; moreover such exposure predisposes tissue to abnormal growth and development of the more treatable but potentially disfiguring squamous-cell and basal-cell carcinomas as well as the less easily discovered and potentially lethal malignant melanomas.
Children and teenagers who receive only a few severe sunburns will increase their risk of developing malignant melanoma by a very significant factor, so the seriousness of sunburn prevention cannot be overstated. Regrettably, the attitude of many teens and adults is the usual "invincible, invulnerable" and "no worries" approach to UV exposure in favor of the social or cosmetic value of a great tan. Those who don’t develop malignant melanoma even in their teens or early twenties will often find that when they get into their thirties and forties they start developing wrinkles, leathery skin, pre-cancerous keratoses or skin lesions, freckling, non-pigmented white spots and other skin maladies. Only then, when it is too late, do they appreciate that they should have taken better care of their skin when they had the chance. Encourage your Scouts to take a close look at older people who have suffered from extended sun exposure, and ask them if that is what they want to look like in 20 years?
Cover Up
Those who think they are safe inside their cars or homes with ordinary glass windows should know that untreated glass only filters as little as 1 percent of UV radiation, so it is important to consider having glass coated with UV filtration or purchasing UV-filter rated windows. In addition, folks should still use sunglasses, sunscreen, hats and adequate clothing whenever they are likely to be exposed to UV radiation. UV is the reason that pigments and dyes in cloth and paint appears to be bleached when exposed to sunlight repeatedly. Imagine what the exposure is doing to your skin and eyes.
Curiously, skin covering those parts of the body that are seldom if ever exposed to UV radiation tends to be in about as good condition as it was when the person was born. If you observe the skin of farmers/ranchers or other outdoor workers or recreational enthusiasts, you will notice a dramatic difference in the skin that was most commonly and often protected by clothing and that which was chronically exposed to the sun.
However, even some light clothing will transmit ultraviolet radiation. A white cotton tee-shirt has an equivalent SPF rating of only about 9, which is less than most sunscreens, so it is important to pay attention to what is being worn. Some clothing manufacturers now add UV resistant compounds to clothing dye to compensate for that factor. Some clothing is designed to be fully UV resistant and still comfortable during hot weather. Closely woven cotton or lightweight nylon for hot weather will offer more protection than a tee-shirt.
People with well-developed tans (actually skin damage) or those who genetically have darkly pigmented skin are not safe from sunburn either. While they generally have a larger amount of melanin pigment present in the skin, which offers some degree more protection than those of European descent (with fair-skin and red hair, who tend to burn with even slight exposure to UV), they too can develop pre-cancerous and cancerous skin lesions from recurring UV exposure. These individuals may not appear to burn as quickly but they do in fact still suffer similar damage from extensive and repeated UV exposure.
Watch the Eyes
The eye itself (sclera or white tissue, cornea, and lens) is also susceptible to damage from ultraviolet radiation (e.g., "snow blindness") which is a direct result of such UV exposure. Sunburned eyes often react with a sensation of "having something in the eye" or feeling like there is sand in the eye. Generally, this is an inflammation of the sclera (white tissue of the eye) and is often accompanied by inflammation (redness) or "episcleritis." There is of course no sunscreen for the eye itself; so UV-rated sun or prescription eyeglasses are the next best choice. Those who don’t wear prescription lenses with UV filtering coatings or "wraparound" UV-rated sunglasses, and spend a lot of time in the sun, may be damaging the tissues of the eyes both in the short term and in the long term. Hikers should wear protective lenses regardless of the weather.
Ask About Medication
Scouts and Scouters can develop a severe sunburn in just minutes when taking certain medications which can increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays. Ask the parents of your Scouts if the prescription (especially antibiotics and acne medications) and over-the-counter medications being taken can increase sun sensitivity. If so, always take extra sun precautions. The best protection is simply covering up or staying indoors or in deep shade, as sunscreen can’t always protect skin from medication-induced sun-sensitivity.
Heat-related Illnesses
Heat-related illnesses such as heat syncope (fainting from heat), heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are far more serious than sunburn. These conditions occur when kids become very overheated and dehydrated, and in many cases, they are accompanied by sunburn. Hot, dry skin, faintness, stomachache and confusion are a few signs of dehydration and possible heat stress. Cool off, drink plenty of water and watch closely. Refer to your first aid manual for treatment of heat-related illnesses. Contact a doctor if the Scout has an unexplained fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, infected-looking skin, or difficulty looking at light, signs of sunburned eyes. Nausea, vomiting, fainting, delirium, or diarrhea indicates the need to call a doctor for immediate assistance.
Practice What You Preach: Be a good Role Model for Your Scouts
Remember that the eyes of the boys are upon you at all times. Your use of sun safety techniques, reapplying sunscreen, and wearing a hat or a long-sleeved shirt will have a higher impact on the habits of your scouts than simply telling them. Encourage your junior leaders to be good role-models for sun protection as well, and have them watch out for sun-related illnesses and injury when the boys are active outside.
Learning a Lesson from Down-Under: All things in moderation
Australia had one of the highest per capita incidences of skin cancer due to their sunny environment and wonderful ocean beaches. (Australian medics were able to develop one of the better prosthetic noses required due to surgical removal of nose tissue from repeated UV exposure and resulting skin cancers.) As our friends "down under" often say: SLIP, SLAP, SLOP (i.e., Slip on a hat, Slap on protective clothing and sunglasses, and Slop on sunscreen). Years ago they began a national campaign against skin cancer and skin damage by encouraging the wearing of hats, protective clothing, and by developing colorful pigmented sun blocks that teens and adults now routinely use to "paint" their skin in very creative designs to safely enjoy their great beaches and still have a persona for the social venues. We could stand to pay attention to their lessons for our own youth and adults before it is too late.
Resources for Sun Safety:
Sun Safety for your Child
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/sun_safety.html
Credit card sized UV indicator for $4.99
http://www.maui.net/~southsky/uvcard2.html
The UV Card measures the strength of UV light (in about 20 seconds), to help you determine the optimum level of sunscreen SPF to use. Coat the strip with your sunscreen to see the sunscreen’s true effectiveness.
All About Boys: Sun Safety
http://raisingboys.allinfoabout.com/features/0307sunsafety.html
Australian site about being Sun Smart with good Fact Sheets
http://www.sunsmart.com.au/
http://www.sunsmart.com.au/s/facts/fact_sheets.htm
Follow the A, B, Cs of Sun Safety recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology:
Avoid the sun in the middle of the day. This is when the sun’s rays are the most damaging.
Block the sun’s rays using a SPF 15 or higher sunscreen. Apply the lotion 30 minutes before going outside and reapply it often during the day. Sunscreens should not be used on infants under 6 months of age.
Cover-up using protective clothing, such as a long sleeve shirt, sunglasses, and hat when in the sun. Use clothing with a tight weave to keep out as much sunlight as possible. Keep babies younger than 6 months old out of direct sunlight at all times. Hats with full brims are important.
Use Sunscreen Consistently
The brand or type of sunscreen you use does not matter. What matters most in a sunscreen is the degree of protection from UV rays it provides. When faced with the overwhelming sea of sunscreen choices at drug stores, concentrate on the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) numbers on the labels. The SPF number tells you how much longer you can stay in the sun without burning if you apply the sunscreen, which acts as a block to the sun’s rays. For example, if a child would burn after 20 minutes of sun exposure, applying a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 gives him 15 times the protection. In this example, the child should be protected for up to 5 hours:
For kids age 6 months and older, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends that all children wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, to prevent both sunburn and tanning. Choose a sunscreen that states on the label that it protects against both UVA and UVB rays (referred to as "broad-spectrum" sunscreen). To avoid possible skin allergy, avoid sunscreens with PABA, and for sensitive skin, look for a product with the active ingredient titanium dioxide (a chemical-free block).
In order for sunscreen to do its job, it must be applied correctly. Be sure to:
Use sunscreen whenever you or your Scouts will be in the sun.
Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before going outside so that a good layer of protection can form. Don’t forget about lips, hands, ears, feet, behind the neck and shoulders. Lift up bathing suit straps and apply sunscreen underneath them (in case the straps shift from body movement).
Don’t try to stretch out a bottle of sunscreen; apply the sunscreen generously.
Reapply sunscreen often, approximately every 2 to 3 hours, as recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology. Reapply after sweating or swimming.
Apply a waterproof sunscreen if the Scout will be around water or will go swimming. Water reflects and intensifies the sun’s rays, so kids need protection that lasts. Waterproof sunscreens may last up to 80 minutes in the water, and some are sweat-and rub-proof. Be sure to reapply sunscreen when Scouts come out of the water, regardless of the waterproof label.
Keep in mind that every child needs extra sun protection. Although dark skin has more protective melanin and tans more easily than it burns, remember that tanning is also a sign of sun damage. Dark-skinned children can also develop painful sunburns.
-taken in part from Sun Safety for your Child http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/sun_safety.html |
