How to Effectively Protect Your Skin from the Sun

By Dr. Brian Keegan

With summer in full swing and the list of outdoor activities a mile long, it’s important to remember that protecting your skin from the sun should be at the top of your list. Excessive exposure to the sun affects people of all ages. Studies have shown that 80 percent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure is acquired before the age of 18–making it that much more important to properly protect your children too. 

With July being National UV Safety Month, the more cautious and aware you are about sun exposure, the better. Naturally, sun exposure causes our bodies to produce Vitamin D, which is very beneficial to our health. However, too much exposure can harm us. 

Wear protective clothing. This can be as simple as grabbing a hat and sunglasses on your way out the door. Obviously, the more you can cover your body the better the protection. This means long sleeved shirts, long pants and/or long skirts. Generally speaking, dark colors block out more UV rays than light colors, and dry material protects better than wet material. 

Seek shade. Wherever you are, finding shade is always a good idea in helping prevent overexposure. For example, if you’re on a picnic, look for big trees with wide branches to ensure a lot of coverage. Or, if you’re at the beach, be sure to pack an umbrella to keep the whole family cool and shaded.

Wear sunscreen and reapply often.When choosing a brand of sunscreen, be sure to read the label. Sunscreens with broad spectrum protection (against both UVA and UVB rays) and with sun protection factor (SPF) values of 30 or higher are recommended. It’s important to be diligent and reapply at least every two hours, especially if you’re swimming or doing physical activity that would cause you to sweat. 

Shelter your eyes from the rays. Choose sunglasses that block 99-100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. Look for glasses that say “UV absorption up to 400 nm” or “Meets ANSI UV Requirements,” both mean the glasses block at least 99 percent of UV rays. Wraparound sunglasses that have large-frames are also more likely to protect your eyes.

While the best way to stay protected from the sun is to stay out of it, this isn’t always realistic. Excessive sun exposure can lead to sunburn, skin damage, skin cancer and uneven pigmentation of the skin. Take the right precautions this summer to enjoy the sun safely.

Don’t forget to schedule regular skin screenings with your dermatologist to ensure your skin is looking its best and staying healthy. To schedule an appointment, visit www.windsordermatology.com or call 609-443-4500.

Does Using a Tanning Bed Help Treat Psoriasis?

Dr. Jerry Bagel

Have you ever wondered how light therapy can help psoriasis patients? Phototherapy involves exposing the skin to ultraviolet light on a regular basis. It is one of the most effective and safest treatments for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Essentially, the skin, or epidermis, of a psoriasis patient grows too quickly. A normal epidermis takes 28 days to grow. For those with psoriasis, it takes only four days. 

Narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) rays at 311 nanometers is the wave length of a UVB ray that maximizes the benefit and reduces the risk of skin cancer in the treatment of psoriasis. Narrowband UVB decreases the growth rate of the epidermis allowing the skin to become normal. Also, narrowband UVB rays decrease the proliferation of T cells (immune cells) in the dermis, which is elevated in psoriatic skin and is one of the causes of the increased growth rate of the epidermis.

While light is beneficial for psoriasis, don’t assume that the lamps of a tanning bed and the phototherapy provided at a medical dermatologist’s office are the same thing.

Tanning beds utilize ultraviolet A (UVA) light. UVA wave lengths do not decrease the growth rate of the epidermis. UVA rays promote tanning, but has very little therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of psoriasis.

The National Psoriasis Foundation does not support the use of tanning beds as a treatment option for psoriasis. The American Academy of Dermatology, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all discourage the use of tanning beds and sun lamps. The ultraviolet radiation from these devices can damage the skin, cause premature aging and increase the risk of skin cancer.

While phototherapy is an effective therapy and can keep people clear for six months or more, it only works 70% of the time. In other instances it may be more beneficial to speak with your dermatologist about biologic therapy.

Windsor Dermatology is the home of the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey, the state’s first complete facility for advanced psoriasis clinical research. Call us at (609) 443-4500 to schedule an appointment to find out more about treatment options to reduce your psoriasis symptoms.