With spring having just arrived, many more people are starting to go outside in the sun for long periods of time. Many simply to enjoy themselves in the fresh air, others hoping to enhance their appearance with a stunning tan.

Either way, it is important in today's world to protect yourself from sunrays which, while still healthy, are causing more damage to people than they did a generation ago.

What Damage is Being Caused?
Sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) rays.

• Skin cancer caused by exposure to UV rays accounts for more than one-half of all malignancies in the United States;
• Each year, 1 million people will be diagnosed with skin cancer; and
• Each year, some 32,000 people will develop malignant melanoma, the particularly deadly form of the disease.

What UV rays are there?
Ultraviolet rays are divided into three regions according to wavelength - UVC, UVA and UVB:

1. UVC - the Germicidal region. Currently, the ozone screens out most UVC rays, so people tend not to get concerned about them.
2. UVA - the Tanning region. UVA rays penetrate into the dermal layer of the skin and do 90% of their damage to that dermal layer. On the plus side, UVA rays produce a lasting tan and UVA rays facilitate generation of Vitamin D. On the minus side, UVA rays have at least 10 times the wrinkling effect on the skin that UVB rays do.
3. UVB - the Burning or Erythermal region. UVB rays cause sunburn. 90% of their effect is on the surface of the skin.

Special Tip - The SPF numbers marked on sunlotions, sun milks, and sunscreens indicate protection against UVB rays only. SPFs do not indicate protection against UVA rays.

What are SPFs?

SPF, an acronym for Sun Protection Factor, refers to a degree of protection from UVB rays. It indicates how much longer you can stay out in the sun without burning when using sunscreen, compared to the time it would take you to burn when not using sunscreen.

The accompanying graphics show how long SPFs of 5, 10, 15 and 20 are good for, if you would normally burn after fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, or twenty-five, respectively (multiply the number of minutes by the SPF factor).

Most dermatologists recommend using an SPF of at least 15. The FDA considers this to be a "complete block", but this should not give you a false sense of security. No SPF blocks out the UVB rays 100%. SPF 15 blocks 93.33%. SPF 20 blocks out 95%. SPF 30 blocks out even more but it is still only 96.7% of the sun's UVB rays.

No matter how high the SPF, you can still burn if you stay outside, exposed to sunlight. If you suffer from allergic reactions to chemical sunscreens, it is best to use an all-natural one, but with a relatively modest SPF of 15 or 20 to reduce the risk of irritation, then monitor your time in the sun carefully.

Special Tip - A tan itself has an SPF of about 4, but does not provide protection against UVA rays. Therefore, it is important to use a sunscreen that shields you from both UVA and UVB rays. And reapply at least every two hours. You will have greater protection if you apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 twice in four hours than if you apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 only once.

How do Sunscreens Protect against UV Radiation?
Sun lotions, sun creams, sun milks, sunblocks, and sunscreens protect the skin against UVA and UVB rays by containing agents which absorb the rays or reflect them. At first, these agents were designed to let in the UVA rays (which tanned), while keeping out the UVB rays (which burned). Once the dangers of too many UVA rays were well-documented, however, full spectrum sunscreens began to appear.

What Agents in Full-Spectrum Sunscreens Block UVA and UVB rays?
Earth pigments are about the only substances known to block both types of UV radiation. The two earth pigments most commonly used are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

In the past, sunscreens with these ingredients were not appropriate for use on large areas of the body. They were thick ointments, similar to the ones lifeguards wore on their noses. These zinc oxide and titanium dioxide ointments were hard to apply, felt heavy, and could interfere with oxygenation.

Recently, however, a process has been developed for micronizing these earth pigments by grinding them into microscopic particles. These particles are then mixed with lotions to provide a product that gives you full spectrum protection while feeling comfortable on the skin.

Other Items of Importance to Practicing Safe Sun

• It is important to remember that, to have the sunscreen provide the protection it claims to provide, it must be applied at least 20 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun.
• Also remember to apply sunscreen to the lips. If you don't like the taste of the product you are using, lip balms with sunscreen are available. An added plus is that regular use of a lip balm containing sunscreen helps prevent cold sores.
• Don't forget to have children apply sunscreen. It is estimated that 78% of skin cancer is caused by burns experienced before the age of 18.

Special Tip - In cold weather, choose a wax or cream sunscreen product, instead of a lotion, because water can be driven into the skin by wind and can freeze, causing damage below the surface.

What is the Safest Way to Tan?
Recent studies have shown that use of full-spectrum sunscreens may not be enough to protect completely against development of skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation states emphatically that there is no such thing as a healthy tan.

However, there is a near-perfect solution, using self-tanning products. Containing DHA derived from grape seed, these products tan the skin when coming into contact with epidermal cells. These products are safe because they do not penetrate into the live layers of the skin. Some actually nourish and moisturize by containing valuable botanical extracts like peanut oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, panthenol, allantoin, and bisabolol. If a person uses a full-spectrum sunscreen, blocking both UVA tanning rays and UVB burning rays, and gets their tan from a self-tanning product, they are being almost perfectly safe, with one more minor modification. Limit midday exposure to the sun.