Jackson Hospital | Partners | Summer 2018

14 Jackson Hospital SUN SENSE Protect the entire family Young or old. Wrinkled or smooth. Freckled or plain. No matter what condition their skin is in, all members of your family need sun protection. Let’s face it: The sun doesn’t discriminate. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause sunburns, lead to future wrinkles and raise the risk for skin cancer, no matter a person’s age. So have a sun safety plan for the whole family. Start with these three steps from the American Academy of Dermatology and other experts. USE PLENTY OF SUNSCREEN. Choose a broad-spectrum sun- screen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Also be sure it has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Apply it to exposed skin about 15 minutes before you head outside, and reapply it every two hours. Check with your child’s doctor before putting sunscreen on a baby under 6 months old. KEEP EYES UNDER WRAPS. UV light can damage eyes and increase the chance of cataracts developing later in life. The corneas can also get a sort of sunburn—a temporary but painful condition. Make sure everyone in the family has a pair of sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UV light. That includes even the youngest mem- bers of the family, whose sunglasses should be the real deal—not toy sunglasses. SHUN THE SUN. Try to stay out of it during the most intense hours of sunlight, about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you do go outside, cover up with long sleeves and pants and a wide- brimmed hat. Aim to stay in the shade, and encourage the kids to play in the shade as well.