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Know Your Sun Safety

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Sun safety tipsNow that summer is officially in full swing, it’s a good time to sound the sun-safety alarm.

While the threat of skin cancer has been well publicized, many Americans are largely unaware of the serious medical problems that can result from being in the heat. Learn about the warning signs of heat stroke, and keep yourself and your family safe.

 

And that lack of knowledge can be deadly, because heat stroke can kill and should be recognized as a medical emergency. Heat stroke is the most severe heat-related illness; it occurs when the perspiration mechanism fails, and the body becomes unable to control its temperature. In fact, body temperature can rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Warning Signs

Heat stroke warning signs, which require immediate medical attention, include:

  • extremely high body temperature (above 103˚F);
  • red, hot, dry skin (no perspiration);
  • rapid pulse;
  • throbbing headache;
  • dizziness;
  • nausea;
  • vomiting;
  • confusion;
  • loss of consciousness.

 

Other Heat-related Conditions

Although heat stroke poses the greatest danger, other heat-related medical conditions include:

  • Heat exhaustion – less dangerous than heat stroke, heat exhaustion usually occurs when people perspire heavily as a result of overexertion, which leads to dehydration. Common symptoms are pale, clammy skin, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and fainting. Immediately seek shade, hydrate with non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages, and take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath.
  • Heat cramps – also linked to overexertion, heat cramps strike – most often in the arms, legs, and abdomen – when the body loses salt through profuse perspiration, triggering painful cramps. Stop all activity, sit in a cool place, and drink clear juice, a sports beverage, or water.

 

Prevention

Prevention is always the preferred strategy, and by limiting your time in the sun and staying well hydrated, the sun can be enjoyed rather than feared. As a general rule of thumb, drink 16 fluid ounces of water an hour or a half-hour before going into the heat. Those working in the heat should drink one-half liter of water every half-hour.

Prevention is similarly the frontline defense against skin cancer, a disease that claims some 13,000 American lives annually. The importance of staving off sunburns can’t be overstated. Aside from genetic factors, a history of severe sunburns most increases the risk of developing skin cancer, particularly the deadliest form – melanoma.

Not only can overexposure to the sun’s rays serve as a precursor to skin cancer, but it also can cause premature aging (wrinkling, leathering of the skin), cataracts, and a weakened immune system.

Fortunately, there are simple steps that can be taken to help ensure that time spent in the sun is both fun and safe:

  • Limit time in the sun during its peak hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Wear sun-protective clothing that’s lightweight, breathable, and features weaved in protection from UV rays. There also are laundry detergents, such as Sun Guard, that infuse clothes with a SPF protection of 30 that lasts for up to 20 washings.
  • Select a sunscreen, with an SPF of 30 to 45, that also protects against both UVA and UVB rays. It’s crucial to reapply sunscreen every two to three hours, particularly if you’ve been in water or sweating.
  • Wear a wide-brimmed hat, not a baseball cap. Wearing a baseball cap doesn’t prevent ears from getting sunburned, and the ears are a common site for skin cancer.
  • Sport sunglasses that provide both UVA and UVB protection.

 

Like most things in life, moderation is the key, and sun exposure certainly is no exception.

 

Sources

http://www.cdc.gov/media/subtopic/matte/pdf/summer_burned.pdf

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-stroke/basics/symptoms/con-20032814

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000056.htm

http://www.sunsafetyalliance.org/safety_tips.html

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/sun/sun-safety-tips

 

 


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