Fifteen years ago, on a lovely Saturday morning in Tampa, Florida, I parked my rented Ford Focus next to a baseball field. Patricia, her husband Bill and I had been invited to come watch a friend’s son pitch in a Little League game that afternoon. The weather was perfect: high, wispy clouds, not too humid, with a temperature in the mid-70s.
My friend’s 10-year old son Frank was warming up in the infield as we claimed 3 seats on the top row of the open bleachers. And at exactly 1 pm, the opposing team took the field.
Their pitcher walked the first two boys of Frank’s team, then struck out the next 2 batters. With 2 on base and 2 outs, the pressure was on. The next 2 pitches were called as 2 balls, then on the third pitch we heard a sharp crack and a line drive shot between the first and second baseman, bouncing to the center fielder who scooped it up and threw it home. Too late, with 2 runs in and the last batter on third base.
Frank batted next. He let two balls go by and valiantly swung at the next two. Two balls, and two strikes. Aaargh! When he swung at the next pitch it managed to hit it but it was caught by the second baseman, ending the first inning.
At the start of the third inning I noticed feeling warm.
“Patricia? I feel hot. ”
“Goodness, you’re red as a BEET! You need to get out of the sun RIGHT NOW!”
Sitting under a tree across the parking lot, I opened my pack to grab my water bottle, insisting, “I DID put on sunscreen this morning, so how can I be burning already?”
Exposing our skin to sunshine causes our skin to react, by “tanning” or “burning” or even rash and itching. Sunlight contains ultraviolet radiation which can cause skin to turn red, and cause tanning, burning or other skin reactions like rash and itching.
Exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation causes sunburn, skin cancer and accelerated skin changes such as wrinkles and spots called photo aging. UVB rays are most intense between 10 in the morning and 4 pm, and help our skin produce Vitamin D.
Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation also causes sunburn and tanning, but can also trigger skin reactions in people taking certain medicines. Normal sunlight has approximately 20 times as much UVA radiation as UVB. Because UVB radiation causes more sunburn, 96% of the rays from tanning beds are UVA wavelengths.
I was on a prescription medicine that increased the sensitivity of my skin to the UVA wavelengths in the sunshine I sat in that Florida afternoon. The bottle of sunscreen I wore that day was nearly 8 years old, protecting me against UVB rays but not against UVA wavelengths, which trigger photosensitivity skin reactions. Today’s sunscreen products are formulated to protect against BOTH UVA and UVB radiation.
The measure of how much protection a sunscreen product gives is called its SPF (Sun Protection Factor). The bigger the SPF number, the better the protection. For example, if you properly apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15, you could stay out in the sun 15 times as long without burning as you could without it.
Sunscreens come in two main types: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing specific wavelengths of UV radiation before they penetrate your skin, while physical sunscreens reflect and scatter UVA and UVB radiation. The lighter your skin, the more quickly it can burn and the more protection you need.
Here Are 5 Tips for Taking Medicines That Can Cause Sun Sensitivity:
- AVOID tanning beds or direct sunlight until you finish the medicine.
When going outside during the day, cover up with long sleeves and a hat with a brim at least 4 inches wide, or apply sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection.
- Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before you are in the sun.
To be most effective, sunscreens need time to bind to your skin.
- Don’t skimp when applying sunscreen.
The FDA estimates an adult in a swimsuit should use about 4 and 1/2 teaspoonfuls when applying sunscreen to their whole body.
- Reapply your sunscreen frequently.
Sunscreen can wash off, especially after swimming, playing in the water or sweating. And don’t forget to reapply sunscreen after drying yourself off with a towel.
- Throw away your expired sunscreen.
Although most sunscreen products are good for at least 3 years, when stored near heat they can lose effectiveness sooner.
