害羞草研究所淭he phrase 害羞草研究所榟ealthy tan害羞草研究所� is an oxymoron,害羞草研究所� says Dr. Harvey Lui. 害羞草研究所淎 tan is a sign that you害羞草研究所檝e damaged your skin. Your body responds to that injury with a tan as a way of repairing the skin.害羞草研究所�

Lui害羞草研究所攁 medical dermatologist with the BC Cancer Agency and a professor of dermatology and skin science at UBC害羞草研究所攕ays that there are several myths about staying safe in the sun, one of which is that if you get a sunburn at the beginning of the summer season, you will then tan and be okay; hence his caution that there is no such thing as a healthy tan. 害羞草研究所淎 sunburn is nature害羞草研究所檚 warning that you shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be doing this.害羞草研究所�

Another myth is that if the sky is cloudy, the weakened sunlight will not be damaging to your skin. 害羞草研究所淭here is a significant amount of UV [ultraviolet] rays still reaching the earth. And if it害羞草研究所檚 cold, people might let their guard down. If it害羞草研究所檚 sunny but cold there害羞草研究所檚 still a risk, because it害羞草研究所檚 the invisible UV rays damaging the skin, not the heat.害羞草研究所�

Lui says that it takes decades for skin cancer to develop, and that the damage starts in childhood. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really important for people to realize that research is showing that the risk of developing melanoma [a malignant tumour] correlates with the sun you got early in life.

害羞草研究所淲ith early sun exposure, such as a few bad burns or tanning, the cells get damaged. It takes decades for the cancer to develop, so parents need to protect their children. Even if everyone started practising good sun prevention today, we would still be seeing an increase in skin cancer for the next 20 to 40 years.害羞草研究所�

Being in or around water during summer害羞草研究所攚hether it be a pool, lake, river, or ocean害羞草研究所攎eans people need to take extra precautions to keep their skin safe. 害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e by a pool, say, on a sunny day you害羞草研究所檙e getting lots of sun on your skin, and you could also be getting a reflected dose of light off the water.害羞草研究所�

Anyone going in the water needs to apply sunscreen before they do so. 害羞草研究所淭he sun害羞草研究所檚 rays can penetrate the water, and when your head is above the water you害羞草研究所檙e getting the sun plus a reflection from the water.害羞草研究所� Sunscreen also needs to be reapplied when you come out of the water.

When it comes to sunscreen, Lui says a common error is not applying enough. 害羞草研究所淧eople often use only a quarter or half as much as they need.害羞草研究所� And while people are pretty good about applying sunscreen to their face, they often forget to put it on their ears, behind their ears, and on the back of their neck.

He recommends that people look for a sunscreen with an SPF [sun protection factor] of 30 or higher. 害羞草研究所淭hirty is the bare minimum; as high as 50 or 60 is even better. It害羞草研究所檚 not more expensive.害羞草研究所�

People should also ensure that the sunscreen is a broad spectrum one, covering UVA and UVB rays, and should look for the logo of the Canadian Dermatology Association. 害羞草研究所淭hey have reviewed all sunscreens, and feel these ones are effective.害羞草研究所�

He adds that any sunscreen that is labelled as being specifically for children is a marketing thing, nothing more. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no such thing as sunscreen for children. There害羞草研究所檚 no difference. The same sunscreen can be used by everyone in the family.害羞草研究所�

Lui also cautions against buying spray-on sunscreen. 害羞草研究所淪unscreen in a spray bottle is convenient, but it害羞草研究所檚 very expensive, because you害羞草研究所檙e just spraying a lot of it into the air.害羞草研究所�

He adds that while some people get anxious about using sunscreen (害羞草研究所淭hey worry about putting chemicals on their skin害羞草研究所�), and acknowledges there is a theoretical concern that these materials might cause damage, a person would have to apply gallons of sunscreen to theoretically absorb trace elements of chemicals.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 wiser to protect your skin than to avoid sunscreen.害羞草研究所� He notes that sun greatly accelerates the aging process, and increases wrinkles later in life. 害羞草研究所淚 tell people next time they害羞草研究所檙e in front of a mirror to look at their face and then look at their bum. They害羞草研究所檙e both the same age, but you don害羞草研究所檛 get wrinkles on your bum, because it doesn害羞草研究所檛 get exposed to the sun.害羞草研究所�

Since the sun害羞草研究所檚 rays are strongest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Lui advises people to try to stay out of the sun during those hours. 害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e a gardener, the nicest time to garden is early in the morning or in the evening. It害羞草研究所檚 much safer and cooler.害羞草研究所� Gardeners should wear a broad-brimmed hat with a brim as wide as their palm extending all around it. 害羞草研究所淏aseball caps are cool, but they were designed to help a baseball player see better in sunlight, not protect him from the sun.害羞草研究所�

Since gardeners are often looking down, they need to apply sunscreen to their ears and neck. Hikers need to pay attention to these areas as well, especially if they are walking with their back to the sun.

Another myth about exposure to the sun surrounds Vitamin D. 害羞草研究所淪unlight helps make Vitamin D, but Vitamin D is also available through your diet or in supplements. And people think 害羞草研究所業f some sun is good for Vitamin D, a lot of sun must be better.害羞草研究所� Vitamin D comes in tinted bottles to protect it from the light. Extra Vitamin D is degraded by sunlight, and you will accumulate DNA damage and have a higher risk of skin cancer.害羞草研究所�

While some clothing is marketed as being designed to protect the skin from sun exposure, Lui says it害羞草研究所檚 fine to buy less-expensive clothing that has a nice tight weave.

害羞草研究所淭he simple rule of thumb is to hold the material up to the light and make sure none gets through. Jeans are a good example; no one gets a tan through jeans.

害羞草研究所淪imple things are fine. And common sense is the cheapest thing around.害羞草研究所�