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FRIDAY, June 5 (HealthDay News) -- Most people, especially children, love to be out in the summer sun, but parents should remember that no tan is a good tan.
"Remember that if you form a tan, you will have ultraviolet radiation damage," Dr. Alfred Lane, a pediatrician and researcher at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, said in a news release from the northern California facility. "Unfortunately, the body really doesn't forget this damage. It accumulates from childhood through adolescence and adulthood, and this can lead to skin cancer."
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Lane, who is also a professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine, offers tips to help protect young and old from sun damage:
- Always use a waterproof sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF (sun protection factor) -- the higher, the better for protection from ultraviolet damage and skin cancer -- before going outside in the daylight.
- Wear clothing with high SPF. Even then, don't forget to put sunscreen on all exposed skin.
- The format of the sunscreen -- stick, lotion or spray -- doesn't matter as long as it is used. However, to avoid getting sunscreen in the eyes and mouth, a stick might be best to use around those areas.
- Because sunscreens are not recommended for children younger than 6 months, dress infants in a hat, long sleeves and long pants and keep them in the shade whenever possible. Carefully applying a little sunscreen on their exposed face or hands should be fine.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about sun safety.
-- Kevin McKeever
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