Healthy hues

Jose J. Santos

June gloom may have put a damper on your seasonal tan time at the

beach lately, but there’s reason to think twice about rushing out

even if the sun’s shining.

The sun is far from the safest way to get that bronze glow,

Newport Beach dermatologist Lynn Dimino said. Sitting in the sunlight

unprotected for even short periods of time can cause long-term damage

to your skin.

“There’s no such thing as a good tan,” Dimino said. “The only safe

tan is in a bottle.”

If you’re a lifelong local, you may be thinking, “I’ve been

tanning at the beach for years. I know what I’m doing.”

Dimino points to some recent medical studies: One states that one

in 10 people exposed to sunlight on a regular basis will develop

melanoma. Another states that 80% of sun damage in most people occurs

before the age of 13.

“If you’re going to play those odds, you’re not playing well,”

Dimino said.

Don’t fret, though. Dimino acknowledges that the sun is a reality

in our everyday lives, and that for some people, a nice tanned visage

is vital to their summer look. She encourages people to educate

themselves, protect themselves and seek alternatives to laying out on

a beach towel.

“You can still get that look you want, but do it out of a bottle,”

Dimino said. “You should be outdoors, but you don’t have too be in

the sun.”

Here are some things to remember now that the summer sun has

kicked in.

KNOW YOUR WAY AROUND THE BLOCK

Every home should have ample supply of sunscreen, especially if

your family is in the sun a lot. But even if you regularly use sun

block, be sure that you know the ins and outs of how it’s most

effective.

“People usually don’t put enough on,” Dimino said. “They don’t

reapply, they don’t put it on accurately.”

* Make sure the sun block has a high SPF number (Dimino recommends

30 SPF at least) and is waterproof.

* If you’re a 150-pound man, you need to use at least one ounce of

sunscreen every 80 minutes, Dimino said. You should apply the

sunscreen before leaving the house, because it takes between 15 to 30

minutes for it to start to work.

* If you’re going to be out in the sun all day, make sure to

reapply your sunscreen. Take a break, seek some shade and let the

sunscreen start to work after you put more on.

* You have a naturally dark hue, so tanning isn’t an issue, right?

Dimino said she sees the effects of sun exposure on every shade of

skin.

“Everybody pays the piper sometime,” she said.

NO PEAKING

Try to avoid direct sunlight during the sun’s peak hours, 10 a.m.

to 4 p.m.

Dimino suggests there’s plenty of time in the morning to check out

the waves, and there’s more than enough time to get that late

afternoon jog in if you need to be outdoors.

If you venture out during peak hours, wear a hat, sun-protective

clothing and enough sunscreen to protect your skin, Dimino said.

START YOUNG

Children at risk for melanoma, a skin cancer Dimino classifies as

“a disease of young people,” is one of her biggest concerns. She is

seeing more and more patients coming in with early signs of the

disease.

If caught early, melanoma can be stopped. Any abnormality on the

skin that is asymmetrical, has irregular borders, changes shape and

is multicolored might be melanoma.

The key is education, making sure children feel completely at ease

with sun protection.

“If kids learn at a young age to put on sunscreen, then as teens,

they won’t balk at it,” Dimino said. “It’ll be just second nature to

use it as an adult.”

PROTECT YOURSELF

* People around the globe have been guarding themselves against

the sun for centuries. Dimino points to Mexican sombreros, Chinese

straw hats and the head-to-toe clothing of the Middle East as

cultural ways people have helped keep the rays away.

* Getting a skin cancer screening once a year is a good idea for

California residents. Free tests are usually offered annually at most

hospitals, Dimino said.