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Sun Protection in the
Tropics
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The sun just doesn't
seem stronger in the tropics - it is! And sun protection is vitally important - especially
for children and young adults.
Fortunately, sun protection can be
obtained in a number of different ways - clothing, chemical sunscreens (and sunblocks),
and simply staying out of the sun. For most people (including children), a combination of
all three works best in the tropics.
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Ultraviolet Radiation: The sun produces ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that gives us
light to see, warmth, and fuel for the growth of plants.
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UVR has
3 different bands - UVA, UVB and UVC. Very little UVC reaches the earth's atmosphere. UVB
is the strongest band and causes most sunburns. UVA is weaker than UVB, but about 100
times more UVA than UVB rays reach the earth's surface, meaning UVA protection is still
important.
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Skin
cancers, cataracts and 90% of visible aging (wrinkles) are caused primarily by UVB and UVA
rays. Sunburn is caused primarily by UVB rays.
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The
risk of skin cancer is believed to double for people who receive just one or two severe
sunburns during childhood. In fact, researchers believe that 80-90% of the skin damage
that causes wrinkles and skin cancer is received before the age of 18.
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Sunburn
shows damage to the skin caused by UVB rays. However, just because the skins shows no
visible signs of a burn does not mean it is not being damaged by the sun.
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SPF Ratings: The SPF (or sun
protection factor) measures the amount of sun protection provided against UVB rays ONLY.
SPF does NOT measure the amount of protection provided against UVA rays. The SPF rating
indicates how much longer it takes to get a sunburn using the sunscreen than it would
without using the sunscreen. For example, an SPF rating of "2" means it takes
twice as long to get a sunburn, a rating of 10 means it takes 10 times as long.
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A tan
only provides about the same amount of sun protection as a sunscreen of 3 SPF.
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Skin
Types: Skin is divided into 6 types for sun protection purposes. The Skin Types are:
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Type 1:
Always burns, never tans (fair skin, light-eyes, freckles)
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Type 2:
Usually burns, tans with difficulty
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Type 3:
Sometimes burns, sometimes tans
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Type 4:
Burns minimally, always tans
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Type 5:
Rarely burns, tans profusely
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Type 6:
Never burns, deeply tans (dark skin, dark eyes)
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The Ozone Layer: Ozone is the
gas that filters UVB rays from the atmosphere (ozone does not filter UVA rays). The size
of the ozone layer (and the protection it provides from UVB varies based on the time of
day, location, season and altitude).
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The
ozone layer is at its thinnest in the tropics (UVR levels are 1,000 times higher at the
equator than at the North or South Poles).
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The
ozone layer is also thinner during the summer and fall, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Sand
increases the intensity of UVRs by reflecting back most of the UVRs that reach the earth's
surface - intensity can be increased by as much as 80%.
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Surprisingly,
water reflects very little UVR and cloud cover reduces UVR that reaches the earth's
surface - but the amount of protection is determined by the density of the cloud cover.
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The
ozone layer provides much less protection from UVR at high altitudes
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Clothing: As with
sunscreens, sun protection from UVB rays provided by clothing and fabrics is expressed in
terms of an SPF rating.
Research on clothing and UVR
protection has found that:
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One hundred percent
(100%) polyester has the highest SPF of all fabrics, providing 2 to 3 times more sun
protection that any other fabric.
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Darker colored clothing
has a much higher SPF than light colored clothing (black clothing provides 5 times more
protection than white clothing - a white T-shirt has only a 5 SPF rating).
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Knits have a higher SPF
than woven fabrics, and nylon spandex knits have a very high SPF, regardless of color.
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The heavier the weight
of the fabric, the higher its SPF. A double layer of fabric almost doubles the SPF of
clothing. This is true regardless of fabric type (the same for cotton, silk and polyester,
for example).
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More tightly woven
fabrics help reduce UVR transmission to the skin, but not as effectivley as heavier-weight
fabrics.
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Wet fabrics INCREASE
the amount of UVR that reaches the skin - by as much as one-third. |
What does this all mean for clothing in the
tropics?
1. In very hot weather, wear
loose fitting, tightly woven clothing. The folds of loose fitting clothing provides
sort of a "double layer" of fabric, thereby doubling the SPF of the clothing.
The tight weave helps reduce UVR transmission when it's too hot for more effective
heavier-weight fabrics.
2. When snorkeling or
swimming for long periods, wear a dark-colored t-shirt for extra sun protection.
Not only does a light-colored t-shirt offer limited SPF protection, the fact that it's wet
INCREASES the UVR that reaches the skin, rather than DECREASING it. Bicycle shorts
are also not a bad idea when snorkeling.
3. Put on dry clothes (or at
least cover-up) after swimming and snorkeling.
4. Wear a cover-up on the
beach since UVR rays are intensified by the sand.
5. SunSmart offers a
unique brand of clothing for children and infants that blocks up to 97% UV
rays. Not cheap, but worth looking into.
Important:
Never use sunscreens of any kind on babies not yet 6 months old. Test sunscreens
for allergic reactions in children by applying the sunscreen to a patch of skin. Baby oil
does NOT contain sunscreen.
Sunscreens are either "organic" or
"inorganic" (inorganic sunscreens are also called "physical"
sunscreens). "Organic" does NOT mean the sunscreens are naturally produced.
Rather, an "organic" sunscreen is one which is composed of carbon and hydrogen
(among other things).
Organic sunscreens are absorbed into the skin to
some extent. PABA (para amino benzoic acid) is the most famous sunscreen because of the
allergic reaction it causes in so many people. Many people are also allergic to the common
organic sunscreen Benzophenone (Oxybenzone).
Most organic sunscreens block only UVB rays. For
UVB protection, SPF 15 is adequate for most skin types since an SPF 15 sunscreen blocks
95% of UVB rays while an SPF 30 sunscreen stops only about 2% more (97%).
Inorganic or physical suncreens are really
microscopic solid pieces of sunscreen - the most common being zinc oxide and titanium
dioxide. Most physical sunscreens are now microfine and with particles so small they
cannot be seen (unlike the thick white paste of past lifeguard movie fame). Zinc oxide is
generally considered very safe and causes very few allergic reactions.
Titanium dioxide blocks some UVA and zinc oxide
blocks more UVR than any other single ingredient. No sunscreen will completely block UVA
rays.
Tips on Choosing a Sunscreen:
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Don't rely simply on
statements of "protection" against UVA since some researchers believe many of
these sunscreens only offer an SPF of 3 or 4 for UVA rays, even if the SPF is much higher
for UVB rays. Instead, look for a sunscreen labeled "broad spectrum" that
contains zinc oxide and has a minimum SPF rating of 15.
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Apply sunscreen about
20 minutes before sun exposure to allow it time to "set up" on the skin. Reapply
every two hours when swimming or sweating.
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Use at least 1 full
ounce of sunscreen per adult per application (SPF ratings are based on this amount). Using
a smaller amount of SPF 30 does NOT equal a greater amount of SPF 15!
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SPF Sunscreen
Recommendations based on skin type:
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Type 1 (always burns,
never tans): 30 SPF |
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Type 2 (usually burns,
tans with difficulty): 20 SPF |
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Type 3 (sometimes
burns, sometimes tans): 15-20 SPF |
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Type 4 (burns
minimally, always tans): 15 SPF |
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Type 5 (rarely burns,
tans profusely): 15 SPF |
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Type 6 (never burns,
deeply tans): 15 SPF
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Other sunscreen tips:
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Pay special attention
when applying sunscreen to your ears, nose, shoulders and tops of feet.
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When snorkeling, pay
particular attention to the back of the calves and thighs. |
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Hats:
Hats should ideally have at least a 3" brim all the way around. Baseball caps
or visors offer limited protection to the neck and ears. However, a baseball cap brim will
shelter the eyes from about 50% of the sun's rays.
Sunglasses: Sunglasses are manufactured in accordance with ANSI (American
National Standards Institute) standards and fall within the following 3 categories:
1. Cosmetic use: blocks at least 70% UVB, 60% UVA
2. General use: blocks 95% UVB, 60% UVA
3. Special Purpose Intense Sunlight: blocks 99%
UVB, 98% UVA
For tropical use, try to find sunglasses rated
"Special Purpose Intense Sunlight." Sunglasses should fit tightly to block UVR
from the sides and have lenses large enough to cover the entire eye area, including eye
lids.
Color is irrelevant in terms of UV ratings (UV
coating is clear, and doesn't affect the color of the sunglasses).
Polarized sunglasses cut down glare, but don't
block UV rays. Always look for the ANSI rating - even on polarized sunglasses.
At present, UV absorbing contact lenses do not have
enough UV protection.
When possible, avoid the sun from
10 a.m to 2 p.m. when the ozone layer is weakest - and UVR the strongest.
Avoiding the sun doesn't necessarily mean staying
indoors, however. If on a boat, use the bimini top. Seek out shade on the beach (to avoid
the intensification of UVR by the sun's reflection off the sand).
Take a break and have lunch in a shady spot or in
a restaurant.
EPA Information on Protecting
Kids from the Sun
Watership
Trading Company Sun hats.
Transmission of UVR through
Clothing Fabrics, UVB Impacts Reporter
Sun Protection Explained
Ultraviolet
Radiation
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