Sunny sky scare

Karla Walsh
April 24, 2007

The school year is winding down, weather is warming up and the sun is beaming down on full blast. Spring and summer have many benefits for outdoor activities and jobs, but more time in the sun means more sun damage to skin.

Since classes will soon be over for the summer, students will be spending less time indoors studying and more time outside enjoying the weather. Protection from the sun may not be at the top of a college student’s list of priorities, but it may need to be.

According to the World Health Organization, skin cancer accounts for one in three of every diagnosed cancer case. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer sometime during their life. Caucasians have the most diagnoses, but any skin type can be damaged by ultraviolet exposure.

“I like to be tan, and hate being pale in the winter,” said Katherine Elwood, junior in journalism and mass communication. “But I do use sunscreen because I’m scared of getting cancer.”

UV radiation comes from sunlight, so many individuals believe that tanning indoors is a safer alternative to basking in the sun. However, many health organizations, including the Food and Drug Administration have found that tanning beds are just as unsafe as excessive sun exposure. UV radiation can be equally harmful in tanning beds as on the beach.

Many students find jobs during the summer that allow them to enjoy the warm weather and many of these jobs put workers at risk for skin damage. Nonetheless, if you have a job that requires long hours outdoors, there are many preventive measures that you can take to protect yourself.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying out of the sun when UV rays are most damaging, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Hats, sunglasses and dark clothes provide a good superficial barrier to protect skin. Sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays is optimal and should be applied frequently throughout the day. A combination of many of these tools for protection works the best.

Whitney Olthoff, sophomore in psychology, said she thinks about protecting her skin from time to time. She is worried that what she doesn’t do now will hurt her down the road.

“I think it is important now to think about skin protection, because it will have repercussions when you are older. Premature aging and cancer are worries of mine,” Olthoff said.

If skin cancer is not enough of a deterrent to protect yourself from the sun, overexposure can also cause premature wrinkles and eventually cataracts.

Skin cancer and aging effects normally take years to appear, but can be harmful lifelong. Protecting yourself now can save time, worry and eventually your life.

Summer jobs at high risk for sun damage

(According to the criteria explaining skin protection given by the CDC and WHO)

1. Farmers: Many hours in the sun during the peak times put these workers at high risk. Wearing darker clothing and remembering to slather on sunscreen repeatedly can go a long way to protect skin.

2. Lifeguards: The reason most lifeguards take their job is to be outdoors. They can bask in the sun and get a tan. Pool hours often force them to work outside when the sun’s power is at its peak, so protection is crucial to avoid sun damage.

3. Amusement park workers: Whether the amusement park is wet or dry, the sun beats down on them for hours during the busy summer season.

Elwood worked at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo., for the past six summers. Her employers encouraged workers who would be in the sun to bring and apply sunscreen.

“Most games were in shelter areas, so I was not usually in direct sunlight because it would be too hot,” Elwood said.

She added that she was grateful for the protection of the overhang above the games she tended to, because skin cancer is something she would not enjoy dealing with in the future.

4. Camp counselors: A popular choice for many college students, camp counselors must be outside as long as their campers want. Chasing around kids in the sun can lead to some serious burns.

Katie Bishop, junior in child, adult and family services, worked as a camp counselor last year. She is afraid of getting wrinkles from the sun, but skin protection slips her mind when she is busy.

“I didn’t have time and didn’t really think about it,” Bishop said. “I should have used sunscreen, but I did make sure that my kids wore some.”

5. Outdoor recreation leaders: The sun shines the brightest on those nearest to it. Individuals who are mountain biking or hiking at high altitudes will burn faster than those at sea level. Extra precautions should be taken when you know that you will be aiming for summits or high altitudes.