A sunny summer means keeping your skin protected and avoiding long-term damage
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – We've got a question – how careful are you about protecting yourself from the sun?
We're approaching the worst time of year for sun damage to your skin…or are we?
Let us pick up the tab for this visit to a skin specialist so you can learn how to best protect yourself when the sun comes out!
While it's true we get a lot of sun in the summer, it's sun exposure year-round that adds up to trouble in the long run and doctors know full well the damaging power of the sun.
"Most dermatologists are wearing some form of sunscreen," said Dr. Charles Mount, an AHN dermatologist. "Usually an SPF moisturizer every day that we go to work."
Dr. Mount said that daily use of sunscreen is just smart.
"Not only does it help prevent skin cancer and other medical problems, it helps slow down what we call the photo-aging process," he explained.
He said that cloudy days and sunny days, it doesn't matter, we spend a lifetime building the foundation for skin cancer.
"What we got, for this 10 minutes we walked to the mailbox, this 10 minutes we drove to the grocery store, all that is cumulative sun exposure, ultraviolet exposure, over many decades," Dr. Mount explained.
He added that exposure goes to work on your skin's DNA, and if there's a burn, "there has been damage, the DNA has already been damaged and the cat's out of the bag."
The damage is not reversible and is cumulative – beginning when we're children.
"Our face is exposed every day of our lives for however many decades," he said.
Women's legs are also very vulnerable, so Dr. Mount said to start protecting yourself now.
"If you're going to the pool, if you're going to the beach, shoot for [SPF] 50, you want to be 40-50," he cautioned. "For daily use, running errands, 30."
He adds you should reapply every two hours, the important thing to remember is year-round exposure is nothing to mess with.
The damage to the DNA in your skin can lead to skin cancer over time.
So what does that mean for people who say, "get a base tan?"
Dr. Mount said that's like damaging your skin in advance to try to avoid damaging your skin later.
Sure, the tan will help you protect a bit, but you've already done the damage.