POP = Put On Protection
Put on a hat, put on sunglasses, put on sunscreen and put on sun protection apparel.
Did you know a cotton T-shirt only has 5SPF? Most of us would not send our kids out with the 5SPF sunscreen so why would send them out in a T-Shirt with minimal sun protection.
Most children rack up between 50% to 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18 and a bad burn before the age of 10 can give them up to a 50% chance of getting skin cancer as an adult.
Sun Safety - Mini Quiz # 1 1.
Should babies wear sunscreen? Yes.
Years ago, sunscreen contained PABA, which was not recommended for the babies' skin; nowadays there are unique products that are orientated toward babies.
Just be careful to rub the sunscreen in well, babies have a tendency to rub their eyes and put their hands in their mouth.
Dr.
recommend no sunscreen before the age of 6 months.
2.
Does a cotton t-shirt protect.
? No! A 100% cotton t-shirt has as little as 5%UV protection and even less when wet.
Keep in mind that the tighter the weave or knit in the fabric the better the protection.
3.
Does sunscreen have a shelf life? Not generally, but most sunscreens have an expiry date.
Check the date stamped on the bottle.
4.
Can you get sunburn on a cloudy day? Absolutely.
Although a heavily clouded sky does reduce the UV rays, scattered clouds can reflect and even increase their intensity.
5.
Can my eyes get sunburned? Yes, sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin.
Even 1 day in the sun can result in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye).
Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts later in life (clouding of the eye lens, which results in blindness).
The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses, start your kids early.
6.
What are the effects of my Child's medication in the Sun? Some medications increase the skin's sensitivity to UV rays.
As a result, even kids with skin that tends not to burn easily can develop severe sunburn in just minutes when taking certain medications.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the prescription (especially antibiotics and acne medications) and over-the-counter medications your child is taking can increase sun sensitivity Seasons UV Mini Quiz # 2 1.
How many types of UV are there? 3 UV's to be aware of: 1.
UVA rays cause skin aging and wrinkling and contribute to skin cancer, such as melanoma 2.
UVB rays are also dangerous, causing sunburns, cataracts (clouding of the eye lens), and immune system damage 3.
UVC rays are the most dangerous, but fortunately, these rays are blocked by the ozone layer and don't reach the earth.
2.
Does our skin have any defenses against the sun? Yes, UV rays react with a chemical called melanin that's found in most people's skin.
It absorbs dangerous UV rays before they do serious skin damage.
Melanin is found in different concentrations and colors, resulting in different skin colors.
The lighter your child's natural skin color, the less melanin it has to absorb UV and protect itself.
The darker your child's natural skin color, the more melanin it has to protect itself As the melanin increases in response to sun exposure, the skin tans.
But even that "healthy" tan may be a sign of sun damage.
Sunburn develops when the amount of UV exposure is greater than what can be protected against by the skin's melanin.
3.
Can my eyes get sunburned? Yes, sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin.
Even 1 day in the sun can result in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye).
Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts later in life (clouding of the eye lens, which results in blindness).
The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses, start your kids early.
4.
What are the effects of my medication in the Sun? Some medications increase the skin's sensitivity to UV rays.
As a result, even kids with skin that tends not to burn easily can develop severe sunburn in just minutes when taking certain medications.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the prescription (especially antibiotics and acne medications) and over-the-counter medications your child is taking can increase sun sensitivity 5.
What about the Epi-Pen? EpiPens are commonly carried by persons with severe allergies and a risk of anaphylactic shock.
Epinephrine is stable at room temperature, EpiPen® should not be refrigerated, and neither should the EpiPen® Auto-Injector be exposed to extreme heat, such as in the beach bag or trunk of a car during the summer.
Do not expose your auto-injector to direct sunlight; light and heat can cause epinephrine to oxidize and go bad, turning brown.
The EpiPen usually has a shelf life of about 12 months, or until the contents contain a precipitate or discolor.
6.
What is an after burn? After a long day at the beach or park, often, kids seem fine during the day, but then gradually develop an "after burn" later that evening that can be painful and hot and can even make them feel sick.
They usually experience pain and a sensation of heat, some children also develop chills.
Because the sun has dried their skin, it can become itchy and tight.
7.
What do you do for sunburn? Have your child take a cool (not cold) bath, or gently apply cool, wet compresses to the skin to help alleviate pain and heat.
Apply pure aloe vera gel (available in most pharmacies or taken directly from within the leaves of the plant) to any sunburned areas.
It's excellent for relieving sunburn pain and helping skin heal quicker.
Give your child a pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen and spray on over-the-counter "after-sun" pain relievers.
(Do not, however, give aspirin to children or teens.
) Apply topical moisturizing cream to rehydrate the skin and help reduce swelling.
For the most severely burned areas, apply a thin layer of 1% hydrocortisone cream.
(Do not use petroleum-based products, because they prevent excess heat and sweat from escaping.
Also, avoid first-aid products that contain benzocaine, which may cause skin irritation or allergy.
) If the sunburn is severe and blisters develop, call your doctor.
Did you know a cotton T-shirt only has 5SPF? Most of us would not send our kids out with the 5SPF sunscreen so why would send them out in a T-Shirt with minimal sun protection.
Most children rack up between 50% to 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18 and a bad burn before the age of 10 can give them up to a 50% chance of getting skin cancer as an adult.
Sun Safety - Mini Quiz # 1 1.
Should babies wear sunscreen? Yes.
Years ago, sunscreen contained PABA, which was not recommended for the babies' skin; nowadays there are unique products that are orientated toward babies.
Just be careful to rub the sunscreen in well, babies have a tendency to rub their eyes and put their hands in their mouth.
Dr.
recommend no sunscreen before the age of 6 months.
2.
Does a cotton t-shirt protect.
? No! A 100% cotton t-shirt has as little as 5%UV protection and even less when wet.
Keep in mind that the tighter the weave or knit in the fabric the better the protection.
3.
Does sunscreen have a shelf life? Not generally, but most sunscreens have an expiry date.
Check the date stamped on the bottle.
4.
Can you get sunburn on a cloudy day? Absolutely.
Although a heavily clouded sky does reduce the UV rays, scattered clouds can reflect and even increase their intensity.
5.
Can my eyes get sunburned? Yes, sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin.
Even 1 day in the sun can result in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye).
Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts later in life (clouding of the eye lens, which results in blindness).
The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses, start your kids early.
6.
What are the effects of my Child's medication in the Sun? Some medications increase the skin's sensitivity to UV rays.
As a result, even kids with skin that tends not to burn easily can develop severe sunburn in just minutes when taking certain medications.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the prescription (especially antibiotics and acne medications) and over-the-counter medications your child is taking can increase sun sensitivity Seasons UV Mini Quiz # 2 1.
How many types of UV are there? 3 UV's to be aware of: 1.
UVA rays cause skin aging and wrinkling and contribute to skin cancer, such as melanoma 2.
UVB rays are also dangerous, causing sunburns, cataracts (clouding of the eye lens), and immune system damage 3.
UVC rays are the most dangerous, but fortunately, these rays are blocked by the ozone layer and don't reach the earth.
2.
Does our skin have any defenses against the sun? Yes, UV rays react with a chemical called melanin that's found in most people's skin.
It absorbs dangerous UV rays before they do serious skin damage.
Melanin is found in different concentrations and colors, resulting in different skin colors.
The lighter your child's natural skin color, the less melanin it has to absorb UV and protect itself.
The darker your child's natural skin color, the more melanin it has to protect itself As the melanin increases in response to sun exposure, the skin tans.
But even that "healthy" tan may be a sign of sun damage.
Sunburn develops when the amount of UV exposure is greater than what can be protected against by the skin's melanin.
3.
Can my eyes get sunburned? Yes, sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin.
Even 1 day in the sun can result in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye).
Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts later in life (clouding of the eye lens, which results in blindness).
The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses, start your kids early.
4.
What are the effects of my medication in the Sun? Some medications increase the skin's sensitivity to UV rays.
As a result, even kids with skin that tends not to burn easily can develop severe sunburn in just minutes when taking certain medications.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the prescription (especially antibiotics and acne medications) and over-the-counter medications your child is taking can increase sun sensitivity 5.
What about the Epi-Pen? EpiPens are commonly carried by persons with severe allergies and a risk of anaphylactic shock.
Epinephrine is stable at room temperature, EpiPen® should not be refrigerated, and neither should the EpiPen® Auto-Injector be exposed to extreme heat, such as in the beach bag or trunk of a car during the summer.
Do not expose your auto-injector to direct sunlight; light and heat can cause epinephrine to oxidize and go bad, turning brown.
The EpiPen usually has a shelf life of about 12 months, or until the contents contain a precipitate or discolor.
6.
What is an after burn? After a long day at the beach or park, often, kids seem fine during the day, but then gradually develop an "after burn" later that evening that can be painful and hot and can even make them feel sick.
They usually experience pain and a sensation of heat, some children also develop chills.
Because the sun has dried their skin, it can become itchy and tight.
7.
What do you do for sunburn? Have your child take a cool (not cold) bath, or gently apply cool, wet compresses to the skin to help alleviate pain and heat.
Apply pure aloe vera gel (available in most pharmacies or taken directly from within the leaves of the plant) to any sunburned areas.
It's excellent for relieving sunburn pain and helping skin heal quicker.
Give your child a pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen and spray on over-the-counter "after-sun" pain relievers.
(Do not, however, give aspirin to children or teens.
) Apply topical moisturizing cream to rehydrate the skin and help reduce swelling.
For the most severely burned areas, apply a thin layer of 1% hydrocortisone cream.
(Do not use petroleum-based products, because they prevent excess heat and sweat from escaping.
Also, avoid first-aid products that contain benzocaine, which may cause skin irritation or allergy.
) If the sunburn is severe and blisters develop, call your doctor.
