Sensible precautions make summer safe
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Now that warm weather is here, it's time for sun 'n fun at the beach, parks, neighborhood pools and other summer venues.
But are we prepared to do what it takes to stay healthy and safe in the outdoors?
Carol Fox, associate chief medical officer with Excela Health in Greensburg, said a simple first step in keeping healthy during the summer is to drink plenty of fluids in advance of exercise or time spent in the sun.
"If you exercise, you will need to replace calories, and if you exercise vigorously for prolonged periods, you also need to replace minerals," Dr. Fox said.
A sports drink is helpful for that, she said.
She also recommended avoiding as much exposure to the sun as possible.
Damage from too much sun ranges from sunburn and wrinkles to premature aging and skin cancer, dermatologist David Brodland said. He is with Zitelli and Brodland, in the South Hills Medical Building on the Jefferson Regional Medical Center campus in Jefferson Hills.
"People used to think that a suntan was a sign of good health," he said. "But a suntan is the skin's response to injury from sunlight.
"Although a suntan might look good on the surface, it is a sign of permanent injury," Dr. Brodland said.
He offered these tips for sun safety:
• Avoid the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when its rays are strongest;
• Beware of reflective surfaces such as water and sand, which can reflect up to 85 percent of the sun's rays into the shade;
• Cover up with loose-fitting, tightly woven fabrics; dark-colored, long-sleeved shirts; hats with a four-inch-wide brim; and sunglasses that offer protection from ultraviolet, or UV, radiation;
• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor , called SPF, of 30;
• Protect your lips with a sunscreen lip balm and reapply often.
Dr. Fox suggested using sunscreen products that are waterproof as opposed to water resistant and reapplying them every two hours, more frequently if you are wet or sweaty.
Infants younger than 6 months should not use sunscreen and should be protected from the sun by clothing and shade or they should stay indoors, Dr. Fox said.
Laura Ferris, a dermatologist at UPMC St. Margaret in Aspinwall, said that sunbathers also should wear swimwear and hats with built-in UV protection.
First Published July 7, 2011 12:00 am
