MercyOne Experts Share Tips To Help Protect Your Skin On RAGBRAI

Getting sunburned as an adult significantly increases your risk of developing melanoma. If you’re planning on spending time outside this summer, whether with some summer fun like RAGBRAI or at work, it’s important to practice sun safety and protect your largest organ, your skin.

“The sun emits a wide spectrum of light,” said MercyOne internal medicine and pediatrics physician Dr. Steven Joyce. “Ultraviolet-A (UV-A) and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) are the most common types of UV rays that contribute to skin cancer. They damage the skin on a DNA level that can eventually lead to skin cancer.”

Studies have shown sunburns, especially blistering sunburns during childhood, can dramatically increase the risk of skin cancer later in life.

“It’s really important that everyone is wearing sunscreen to block harmful rays. Areas like your ears, scalp and nose do not have a lot of skin and when you leave a spot untreated it can become cosmetically disfiguring.”

When applying sunscreen, you should:

• Wear broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher

• Apply 15 minutes before sun exposed – before you leave

• Reapply every two hours, especially if sweating

• Use lotion-based sunscreen to help see where you’ve applied coverage

• Apply to tops of hands, ears and neck

Another tip: wear sun protective clothing such as bright colored clothing or a wide brim hat that shades your ears and nose and sunglasses that protect against UV rays.

Dr. Joyce also recommends doing self-skin checks. “You always want to make sure you look all over your body. Even places that aren’t usually sun exposed can still have spots develop. Make sure to touch your moles as well.” There are three things to look for on your skin and moles: symmetry borders and color. If you notice any changing moles that appear asymmetrical, have irregular borders or multiple colors, contact a health care professional to evaluate the lesion. Any sore that hasn’t healed or is painful should be evaluated.