July is UV awareness month! In July, it’s important to balance the benefits of sunshine while maintaining healthy skin practices. July especially is a month of extremes: for those of us with the option to stay inside, overexposure during barbeques and parties might bookends days or weeks spent indoors because of sweltering temperatures, humidity, or even this summer’s poor air quality from wildfires.
Beyond vitamin D production, sun exposure is associated with systematic health benefits including blood pressure regulation, mood improvement, and a decreased likelihood of many different cancers (Hoel et. Al, 2016). But of course, UVA has a strong causal link with photoaging, and UVB with sunburns and melanoma, so balance is needed.
The “right” amount of sun depends on the time of year (see UV index map), geographic location, and skin pigmentation. However, a good rule of thumb is if you’re going to be outside and exposed to the sun for longer than 15-30 minutes, put on some sunscreen. Any exposure long enough to cause sunburn is too long. The American Academy of Dermatologists has great materials for decoding sunscreen labels, understanding the SPF of different clothing, and avoiding common sunscreen problems.
It’s important as well to reapply every couple of hours to avoid overexposure and to maximize health and fun!
Hoel, D.G., Berwick, M., De Gruijl F., and Hollick, M.F. (2016). The Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure. Dermato-Endocrinology, 8(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19381980.2016.1248325.
