Nikki Sommer, a nurse practitioner, with Key West Surgical Group, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning for Medical Matters.
As the temperatures rise in the Keys, the importance of sunscreen cannot be overstated.
Sommer said, “So it’s one of the most important things we could do to protect our skin and overall skin health. I picked this topic because, yet, last week we talked about skin cancer, and May is Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness Month. So let’s jump into what photoprotection is. It’s protecting your skin from skin damage caused by the UV light from the sun, and it’s clothing. So when we talk about the clothing that has SPF or UV protection as photoprotection. It was an aha moment for me this morning. Everything has a name. So photoprotection includes hats, sunglasses, clothing, seeking shade, obviously, maybe we should go back to carrying umbrellas. Those shade umbrellas. Avoiding peak sun hours, window protection. I’ve talked about it before that you are in your car, and even though you’re driving, you are still exposed to the sun while driving in the car, and, of course, daily sunscreen use. So a lot of people think sunscreen is hopefully the beach, but honestly, UV exposure happens every day, driving, walking the dog, boating, fishing, sitting by windows, when I talk to people about sunscreen, I’m like, even when you’re running errands, running in and out of the stores, the grocery stores, they just think, hey, I’ve got to run downtown a minute. I’m going to park the car and walk two blocks, but I’m not really going to be in the sun. You’re in the sun.”
What is the difference between UVA and UVB rays?
Sommer said, “UVB rays, they are the rays that cause the sunburn, damage the outer layers of the skin and play a major role in skin cancer. UVA rays, they penetrate deeper. That’s what causes the collagen breakdown. That’s what leads to wrinkles, aging and worsening of pigmentation and worsening of melasma. UVA can actually penetrate through the clouds and glass, that’s why daily protection is needed, even when it’s cloudy or your indoors near windows.”
What do we need to know about SPF?
Sommer said, “The SPF or sun protection factor, measures protection against UVB rays, which are the burning rays. So what’s the important part when you see SPF 15, 30 or 50. I’m not really sure why people would rather choose less than more. It’s better for you to use the higher SPF. So SPF 15 blocks, about 93% of the UVB rays, where 30 blocks 97% and 50 blocks 98%. Even though you’ll see SPF of 100 there is no sunscreen that blocks at 100% so obviously, the higher the SPF, the better the protection.”
What’s the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreens?
Sommer said, “Mineral sunscreens contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. They sit on the skin and help reflect and absorb UV rays. Chemical sunscreens absorb the UV radiation and convert it to heat. Neither one is automatically bad. The best sunscreen is the one that you wear consistently. For sensitive skin, rosacea, melasma, post procedure patients, mineral sunscreens are often better tolerated because they’re less irritating to the skin. I know down there a lot of chemical sunscreens because of the chemicals that are in them they’re worried about our reef protection and so forth. So I do have people that have come in and see me, and they’re like, I’d rather not wear sunscreen. I don’t want to hurt the environment. Like, I’d really rather you wear, just like, zinc on your face, something, zinc on your body, something. Something is better than nothing, of course. So just know when you see broad spectrum again, that means it’s protecting against both the harmful rays, the UVA and the UVB rays.”
The Keys have very intense UV exposure.
Sommer said, “We’re closer to the equator. We spend more time outdoors. We do our restaurants and everything is geared to being outside. We like to spend a lot of time in the water, by the sand and on a boat, so that reflects the sunlight even more. Boating exposure is constant, actually, and it is because if you’re sitting on the boat, I mean, you can be under a canopy, but normally canopies aren’t big enough to have everybody under them. If you’re sitting up at the front, the rays from the water is beating down on you from the top, and you’re getting it again from the reflection of the water. So make sure you’re protected. You can even get UV exposure under an umbrella, or on cloudy days. Again, it’s the reflection, even if you’re sitting on the beach under an umbrella, the sand is reflecting the sun.”
What does photoaging include?
Sommer said, “One of the biggest causes of premature aging is sun exposure. Photoaging, the name includes the wrinkles, brown spots, the uneven skin tone, loss of elasticity, broken blood vessels. I see this a lot, and crepey skin. Usually you’ll see them on the nose and in the cheeks. Almost everybody has it that has lived down here for an extended period of time, where, if they were born and raised down here. It’s from chronic exposure to the sun.”
Some ways that can help include laser processes.
Sommer said, “Sun damage causes multiple different areas within the skin of sun damage, whether it’s pigmentation, it’s the crepiness, it’s the wrinkles. So all of our devices target each and help to target each and one of all of those things that could be going on at your skin. It’s usually not one problem. It’s multiple problems at the same time. So yeah, you can come in, we can do a consultation, and I can tell you all about it.”
How much sunscreen should a person use?
Sommer said, “If you’re just doing your face, two finger lengths of sunscreen, the length of two fingers. And for the body, a shot glass. Carry a shot glass to the beach, put some sunscreen in it, and then dab your body with the sunscreen when you have a shot glass, have one for one for your tequila and one for your sunscreen. The biggest mistake that people don’t do is reapply. You should reapply every two hours outdoors or sooner if swimming or sweating.”
For more information, click here: https://www.keywestsurgicalgroup.com/