Avoid these sunscreen myths and protect your skin this summer
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- Sunscreen myths you canāt afford to fall for
- State Farm seeks major rate hikes for California homeowners and renters
- 50 spots to watch thrilling Fourth of July fireworks and drone shows in L.A.
- And hereās todayās e-newspaper
Donāt fall for these sunscreen myths
As we inch closer to July, summer heat is arriving at a rapid pace. No more cool breezes from our open windows, just constant heat throughout the day.
Warmer weather often leads us to spend more time cooling off at the beach or by the pool. But thereās something we have to watch out for as we spend more time outside: the sunās UV rays.
As my colleague Karen Kaplan writes, ālonger-wavelength ultraviolet A rays can reach beneath the skinās surface, causing it to age prematurely. Shorter-wavelength ultraviolet B rays affect the outermost layers of skin, causing sunburns and tans.ā
Both UVA and UVB damage the DNA in skin cells, causing mutations. These mutations can accumulate over time and cause tumors to grow. The more UV exposure you have, the greater the risk, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
![Santa Monica Pier on June 25, 2024.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7b06b09/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5472x3648+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F67%2Fb2%2Ff05f88f34a1a83148068fb9bf06a%2Fla-me-santa-monica-pier-beach-zac-4111.jpg)
Melanoma of the skin is more rare and deadly, affecting an estimated 100,640 Americans this year and resulting in 8,290 deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Protect your skin by using sunscreen, which can protect you from malignancies in two ways: chemical and mineral sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens contain ingredients that absorb UV rays while mineral sunscreens rely on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to block or reflect the rays.
No matter what sunscreen you use, be sure to lather up before you head outdoors and donāt fall for these 10 sunscreen myths.
Here are just a few of the biggest sunscreen myths Karen highlights:
As long as you donāt get a sunburn, youāre safe
False! You donāt need to get a sunburn to put your skin at risk. UV exposure will compromise the DNA of unprotected skin ā even if your skin looks normal to the naked eye ā and the effects are cumulative, said Dr. Henry Lim, a photodermatologist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit who studies the effect of sunlight on skin.
āEach time the skin is damaged by the sun, with or without sunburn reaction, there is some damage that the skin would have to repair,ā Lim told Karen. āIf that subclinical damage goes on often enough for a long enough period of time, the skinās ability to be able to completely repair all that DNA damage will be compromised.ā
You donāt need sunscreen if you have dark skin
Absolutely you do! People of every complexion can get sun damage and skin cancer. In fact, āskin cancer in patients with darker skin tones is often diagnosed in later stages, when itās more difficult to treat,ā said Dr. Seemal Desai, president of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The chemicals in sunscreen can cause cancer
Wrong! The active ingredients in sunscreens sold in the U.S. are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which has determined that they are safe and effective. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine add that āsunscreen use is not linked to higher rates of any type of cancer.ā
You can keep sun damage at bay by wearing a good hat
Not exactly! A wide-brimmed hat can help protect you from the sun, particularly for people who are bald or have thinning hair.
However, Karen reports that a hat will only block UV rays coming from above. Without sunscreen, youāll still be vulnerable to rays that reflect off the water, sand or urban surfaces like a sidewalk, which can reach your skin from below. (This is also why you need sunscreen even if youāre in the shade.)
Hereās more on sunscreen myths you canāt afford to fall for.
The weekās biggest stories
![Debate watchers are silhouetted against a large video screen showing Biden and Trump.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d061f27/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5915x3907+0+0/resize/1200x793!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb7%2F6a%2F8c1c2b2f4af59e3f0ec2ef644ae7%2F1464431-me-rfk-the-real-debate073.jpg)
Presidential debate
- Bidenās verbal stumbles, Trumpās āmorals of an alley catā: 6 debate takeaways.
- Bidenās debate gamble went spectacularly wrong. Now Democrats are in panic mode.
- Bidenās debate performance pushes Democrats to consider the once-unthinkable: Casting him aside.
- Column: Howād the grandpa debaters do? Three experts on aging size up Biden, Trump.
- Newsom praises Biden, shoots down post-debate questions about replacing him.
California insurance crisis
- State Farm seeks major rate hikes for California homeowners and renters.
- Californiaās home insurance crisis: What went wrong, how it can be fixed and what owners can do.
- State Farm wonāt renew 72,000 insurance policies in California, worsening the stateās insurance crisis.
Homelessness
- Supreme Court rules cities may enforce laws against homeless encampments.
- For the first time in five years, homeless count found fewer people living on L.A. streets.
More big stories
- A major heat wave is expected to broil much of California over Fourth of July week.
- Oakland mayor in crisis as lawyer and top aide jump ship following fiery speech after FBI raid.
- The Supreme Court wipes out anti-corruption law that bars officials from taking gifts for past favors.
- Protest violence outside L.A. synagogue spurs widespread condemnation. Bass vows quick action.
- NFL ordered to pay billions in damages for āoverchargedā Sunday Ticket.
- Hollywoodās exodus: Why film and TV workers are leaving Los Angeles.
- Summer COVID bump intensifies in L.A. and California, fueled by FLiRT variants.
- Princess Dianaās iconic gowns and letters sell for $1.5 million-plus at Beverly Hills auction.
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Column One
Column One is The Timesā home for narrative and longform journalism. Hereās a great piece from this week:
Pressured by cops, a mom made a false murder confession. Now, her sons can prove sheās innocent. Nearly two decades after a woman falsely confessed to a shocking murder, her sons will see her exonerated from a wrongful conviction that derailed their lives.
More great reads
- āThis is you now. Itās OKā: āThe Swanā contestants reflect on makeover competition 20 years later.
- The desperate hours: a pro baseball pitcherās fentanyl overdose.
- Liza ColĆ³n-Zayas has put in the work. In āThe Bear,ā she makes every second count.
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
For your weekend
![Residents sit on the roofs of their vehicles to watch fireworks](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/57657e2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4440x2837+0+0/resize/1200x767!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F69%2F2cb7ef4447d28cd1657d9a7fa9b9%2Fla-photos-1staff-568338-me-0704-fourth-of-july-fireworks-1-gmf.jpg)
Going out
- š 50 spots to watch thrilling Fourth of July fireworks and drone shows in L.A.
- š¦š½ 7 genius tips for avoiding preschooler meltdowns (and bankruptcy) at Disneyland.
Staying in
- šŗ More than the Simone Biles show: What to watch for at U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials.
- š§āš³ Hereās a recipe for lemon breadcrumb chicken.
- āļø Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
How well did you follow the news this week? Take our quiz.
The residence of what California mayor was raided by the FBI? Plus nine other questions from our weekly news quiz.
Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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