Why protect against the sun? What kind of damage does sun exposure cause? Which types of sun damage lead to skin cancer? What is Skin Cancer? What is UV radiation? How can I protect my children from the sun? What should be avoided? How can sun damage be blocked? How can clothing be used for sun protection? How can I pick the best sun protective clothing? What are other interesting facts about sun protection? What else can be done? Sun Protection Educational Resources

Why protect against the sun?
You wouldn’t put you child in a car without strapping them in a car seat or seat belt. You wouldn’t let your child ride a bicycle with out a helmet. Practicing sun safety and setting an example of sun protection habits is an important preventative measure to ensure the safety of children. In the past, sun exposure was thought to be a healthy benefit of outdoor activity. Modern scientific information, however, has shown many unhealthy and serious effects of sun exposure, such as early aging of the skin and skin cancer.

In fact, research shows a strong link between sunburn in children and the increased risk of skin cancer in later life--unprotected exposure to the sun in the first 15 years of life more than doubles the chance of getting skin cancer. Since 80% of UV exposure occurs in childhood, it is important to educate and protect our children from the perils of sun exposure

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. It accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. More than 1 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer are found the USA each year. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 59,600 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States during 2005.

Sunburn is a visible type of damage, which appears just a few hours after sun exposure. In many people, this type of damage also causes tanning. Freckles, which occur in people with fair skin, are usually due to sun exposure. Freckles are nearly always a sign that sun damage has occurred, and therefore show the need for sun protection. Ultraviolet light rays also cause invisible damage to skin cells. Some of the injury is repaired, but some of the cell damage adds up year after year. After 20 to 30 years or more, the built-up damage appears as wrinkles, age spots, and even skin cancer. Although window glass blocks UVB light, UVA rays are able to penetrate through glass.

Which types of sun damage lead to skin cancer?
Severe sunburns may be related to the development many years later of the most dangerous kind of skin cancer called melanoma. Melanomas can develop in all age groups, including teenagers and young adults. Melanomas can spread to other parts of the body and are potentially fatal.

Built-up invisible sun damage can lead to skin cancer. Basal cell skin cancers usually develop in middle and later life, but can appear as early as the teenage years. These cancers rarely spread to other parts of the body. However, their continuous destruction of skin and underlying structures makes their removal necessary. Squamous cell skin cancers can spread to other parts of the body if they are not treated early.

What is Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the outer layers of your skin. Your skin protects your body against heat, light, infection, and injury. It also stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The causes of skin cancer include:

• unprotected and/or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation
• fair complexion
• occupational exposures to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, or radium
• family history
• multiple or atypical moles
• severe sunburns as a child

What is UV radiation?
The sun emits three types of ultra violet radiation but only two of those reach the earth’s surface. These are UVA and UVB rays. The most dangerous of these are UVB, which are believed to be responsible for sunburn, skin cancer, skin ageing and eye damage. Although less harmful, UVA is still dangerous. It is thought to contribute to skin damage and eye damage.
When should sun protection begin?

Sun protection should begin in infancy and continue throughout life. It is estimated that we get about 80 percent of our total lifetime sun exposure in the first 18 years of life. Therefore, sun prevention in childhood is very important to prevent skin cancer later in life.

How can I protect my children from the sun?
Begin NOW to teach your children to follow the "ABCs for FUN in the SUN."
A = AWAY. Stay away from the sun in the middle of the day.
B = BLOCK. Use SPF15 or higher sunscreen.
C = COVER UP. Wear a T-shirt and a hat.
S = SPEAK OUT. Talk to family and friends about sun protection.

What should be avoided?
Stay AWAY from the midday sun and its intense rays. Schedule play times and outdoor activities before 10:00 A.M. and after 4:00 P.M. (daylight savings time 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.). The sun's energy is greatest when it travels through less atmosphere at midday. Sun exposure is more intense closer to the equator, in the mountains, and in the summer. The sun's damaging effects are increased by reflection from water, white sand, and snow.

Avoid long periods of direct sun exposure. Sit or play in the shade, especially when your shadow is shorter than you are tall. Avoid sunburn. Be aware of the length of time you are in the sun. It may take only 15 minutes of midday summer sun to burn a fair-skinned person.

Choose a sunscreen with a SPF 15 or higher. The protective ability of sunscreen is rated by Sun Protection Factor (SPF) - the higher the SPF, the stronger the protection. SPF numbers indicate the length of time one can spend in the sun without risk of burning. When using a SPF 15 sunscreen, a fair-skinned person who normally sunburns in 20 minutes of midday sun exposure may tolerate 15 times 20 minutes (300 minutes) without burning. Apply as much sunscreen as you would a lotion for dry skin. Spread it evenly over all uncovered skin, including ears and lips, but avoiding eyelids. Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply after swimming or excessive sweating. Invisible sunscreens work by trapping the ultraviolet energy and preventing that energy from damaging the skin.Visible opaque white or colored sunblock creams prevent all light from entering the skin. They often contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide ("chemical-free" sunscreens). They are useful for high-risk areas such as the nose, lips, and shoulders.

Infants under six months of age should be kept out of direct sun and covered by protective clothing. Apply sunscreen beginning at six months of age. Children under six months of age should not have prolonged sun exposure.

How can clothing be used for sun protection?
COVER UP with a hat and light colored clothing when outdoors. Don't play or work outdoors without a shirt. Put on a shirt and hat after swimming or wear a swim shirt while swimming. In addition to filtering out the sun, sun protective clothing reflects heat and helps keep you feeling cool. Sunglasses that block ultraviolet rays protect the eyes and eyelids.

When choosing a garment for sun protection, the important considerations are:
• the design (in terms of the amount of skin coverage)
• the closeness of the weave
• comfort (while dark colours offer more protection, they also absorb heat and tend to be less comfortable to wear in hot weather).

UPF Classification System
UVR protection % UVR transmission UPF ratings
Good 6.7 - 4.2 15, 20
Very good 4.1 - 2.6 25, 30, 35
Excellent < 2.5 40, 45, 50, 50+

• More than a million people will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year.
• The incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is rising faster than that of any other cancer.
• One in 5 Americans will get skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
• One person dies every hour from skin cancer, primarily melanoma.
• By 2010, melanoma is projected to rise to one in 50 Americans.
• Nationally, there are more new cases of skin cancer each year than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, and colon.
• More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, yet fewer than 33 percent of adults, adolescents, and children routinely use sun protection.
• New research shows that UVA rays cause more genetic damage than UVB rays in the skin cells where most skin cancers arise – the keratinocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis. UVB rays tend to cause damage in more superficial epidermal layers. <
• While melanoma is uncommon in African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians, it is most deadly for these populations.
• One blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life.
• Regular sun protection throughout childhood can reduce the risk of skin cancer by 80%.
• It is estimated that 2.3 million teens visit a tanning salon at least once a year.
• Teens may be especially susceptible to skin cancer because their cells are dividing and changing more rapidly than those of adults.
• In the past 20 years there has been more than a 100% increase in the cases of pediatric melanoma.
• Unlike for adults, there are currently no set guidelines for skin examinations in children.
• Less than half of all teenagers use sunscreen.

What else can be done?
SPEAK OUT for sun protection now. Do your part to protect others from sun damage. Show your family how to apply a sunscreen by spreading it evenly over your skin. Remember to keep babies out of the sun and use an umbrella over the stroller. Talk to the coach, camp counselor, scout leader, gym teacher and other leaders about the "ABCs for FUN in the SUN." Ask them to help you with the simple changes that can prevent sun damage. Start preventing sun damage in childhood now.
Source: American Academy of Dermatology

Sun Busters® swimwear and hats provides excellent protection from the harmful rays from the sun. Sun Busters is a line of fresh and vibrant high-quality chlorine resistant swimwear with fabrics that provide UPF 50+ and block out 98% of all UV rays.

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