A Parent’s Guide to Sun Protection - Why be Careful?
(Adapted from The Sun Your Baby and You)
Cover up for sun safety
If you are like most Canadians you can’t wait for summer. After that cold, nearly endless winter, most of us long to get outdoors.
Why do we love the summer? It’s the sunshine! Working, playing or relaxing outside on a glorious sunny day makes most people happy. We love the warm feeling of the sunshine on our skin.
But be careful.
Too much sun can be harmful. So before you grab the kids and head for the beach, the park or even the back-yard, take a few minutes to learn about sun safety. You can protect your family and still have fun under the sun.
Why be careful?
Energy from the sun sustains all life on earth. However, some forms of sun energy can be harmful to life. This includes the sun’s burning or ultraviolet (UV) rays - the rays that can cause sunburn and skin cancer.
The earth’s ozone layer - a thin veil of gas high in the earth’s atmosphere - acts as our planet’s sunscreen. In the past few years, the ozone layer has become slightly thinner than it used to be. This means slightly more of the sun’s UV rays can now reach the earth’s surface.
Ultraviolet is a natural part of the sun’s rays - it has always been with us. We should have always been careful about spending too much time in the sun, even before any loss in the earth’s ozone layer.
Long-term damage
Sunburns are not the only consequence of too much sun. Over time, too many UV rays and repeated sunburns can cause:
- skin cancer;
- premature aging of the skin;
- weakening of the immune system, which reduces the body’s ability to fight diseases such as cancer;
- Eye cataracts that could lead to blindness.
Skin cancer and the sun
The sun is the main cause of skin cancer. And skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in Canada.
In 2003 alone, an estimated 75,000 Canadians have developed skin cancer.
Skin cancer can be disfiguring or fatal if left untreated. Medical specialists are particularly concerned about malignant melanoma, the type that was fatal for an estimated 840 Canadians in 2003. The number of cases of malignant melanoma has doubled since 1980.
What is UV?
The sun’s ultraviolet rays are grouped in three ranges of different wavelengths.
The UVC range contains the shortest wavelengths and doesn't reach the earth’s surface.
UVB rays are the middle of the spectrum. They are responsible for delayed tanning, burning and aging the skin, and causing skin cancer.
At the longest wavelength range, UVA causes immediate tanning, as well as aging and wrinkling of the skin. It also adds to the carcinogenic effect of UVB. Nowadays UVA is likely to be prevalent in tanning parlors.
Children are vulnerable
Children spend more time in the sun than most adults, specially in the summer.
The skin can suffer a lot of damage in childhood. In fact, one of the conditions that puts people most at risk for skin cancer is two or more blistering sunburns as a child or adolescent. Other risk factors are:
- fair skin that tans poorly;
- red or blonde hair;
- light-coloured eyes - blue, gray or green;
- the use of tanning booths; sun lamps; reflectors and silver blankets;
- and any other exposure to UV.
Environment Canada’s
 Daily UV-Index
- Environment Canada issues information on UV levels to Canadians as part of the daily weather.
- The UV-index gives the amount of UV you would receive on a clear sunny day. You get less UV under thick, heavy cloud, or more if you’re on a bright surface, like snow or sand.
- Watch for Environment Canada’s UV-Index and remember to take extra precautions when the UV is high.
More Information ...
Protecting your Family
What is SPF?
Sun Fiction and Fact
|
