Summer Sun — How to Save Your Skin

People have packed 's beach recently as children splashed in the water, built sandcastles and ran in the sand. Watchful lifeguards and parents supervised them as they enjoyed their time in the sun.

Gabrielle Brizendine, of Fenton, relaxed under a shady tree. Her children were using Water Babies sunscreen, for its high SPF number and ability to stay on in the water, Brizendine said. Sunscreen is important, she believes.

Brizendine's mother, Jeanne Quinlan, of Fenton Township, said sunscreen wasn't available when she was younger, and she knows people in her age group who've had skin cancer. When shopping for sunscreen, Quinlan looks for what's on sale, plus an SPF of 45 to 70.

Summer fun often means "sun," and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is changing standards for sunscreen.

It's meant to help shoppers pick products that, with other sun protection strategies, will reduce risks of skin cancer, early skin aging and sunburn. Starting next summer, manufacturers can't label sunscreens "sweatproof" or "waterproof." They can call products "water-resistant" — and list for how long.

Another FDA regulation allows sunscreens that pass the FDA test for ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) ray protection to be labeled as "Broad Spectrum." Local dermatologist Dr. Kimball Silverton said UVA and UVB are both associated with causing cancer, but UVA causes more skin cancer while UVB rays cause more premature aging.

Silverton recommends sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 for the average person. Those who have a skin disease need a stronger SPF, he said.

The pendulum has swung back and forth on what's in fashion regarding a tan. In the 1700s, Marie Antoinette had beautiful, porcelain white skin, Silverton said. White skin was a sign someone lived in a castle and had their fruits and vegetables brought to them. The upper echelon didn't get a lot of sun, and they didn't have a lot of wrinkles and moles.

Those with deep tans, wrinkles and moles were the workers who picked the fruits and vegetables for the castle-dwellers.

Things turned around after the Great Depression, when people began working, playing tennis, swimming and golfing outdoors. A tan meant you had a lot of money and spent time "poolside" or on the golf course.

The people with pale skin were the factory workers, who didn't have a lot of money, Silverton said.

Times are changing again, and the news is getting out that too much sun exposure means premature wrinkles, moles, freckles and possibly even skin cancer. In the 1800s, 1 of 1,700 developed malignant melanoma, a potentially deadly type of skin cancer. In 1970, that number was 1 of 150 people, Silverton said. And now, with people born today, 1 of 30 will contract malignant melanoma.

One reason is, the sun's rays are much stronger due to depletion of the ozone layer. And indoor tanning is a factor, Silverton said. At his practice, there is an average of seven to eight patients daily with skin cancer.

Education on sun protection is improving, and people are becoming more aware of skin cancer and premature aging. "We're going in the right direction," he said.

Sunscreen is important, but all sunscreen isn't created equally. The SPF tells how long it protects — if someone burns after one hour in the sun, an SPF of 2 means they can be out for two hours before burning, he said.

In addition, the FDA will allow sunscreens designated Broad Spectrum and SPF 15 or more, to include the label, "if used regularly, as directed, and in combination with other sun protection measures will help prevent sunburn, reduce the risk of skin cancer, and reduce the risk of early skin aging."

In addition, a proposed FDA rule would limit the maximum SPF value on sunscreen labels to "50 +", because there is not sufficient data to show that products with SPF values higher than 50 provide greater protection than ones with SPF values of 50.

As far as brands of sunscreen, Silverton recommends Neutrogena, Aveeno or Bullfrog. Many companies make generics, and these are fine to use. There are options for sensitive skin, no tears, faces and children.

A palm-sized amount of sunscreen should cover the entire body, he said. If someone is sweating a lot, they should reapply sunscreen every two to four hours. For those who aren't sweating, the recommendation is to reapply every four hours.

In addition, even if it's a cloudy day or someone is sitting inside a vehicle or home, the sun's rays go through clouds and windows. So, people should wear sunscreen year-round, Silverton said.

The FDA's new sunscreen regulations will become effective for most manufacturers in one year. Manufacturers with annual sales of less than $25,000 must comply in two years. For more information, see www.fda.gov/sunscreen

Silverton's dermatology practice checks people's skin every day for signs of cancer. Moles that are black, a strange color such as green or blue, bleeding moles, red or irritated ones or moles that have changed can be warning signs.

In addition, checking normal skin and taking an "inventory" is useful for a comparison later, if there are changes, he said. His office can be reached at (810) 606-7500.