Information provided by SAIF
Without proper protection, the sun can cause serious damage to the health of Oregonians. Oregon has a high rate of melanoma—ranking 16th in the country as of 2021.
The good news is a broad-spectrum sunscreen helps guard against the effects of the sun’s harmful UV rays. But how does sunscreen actually work? SAIF’s new video looks at how sunscreen, sunburns, and the sun’s rays work. It’s part of a new series looking at the science behind safety.
The video can be viewed at saif.com/ScienceofSafety.
“Unprotected exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays is a major risk factor for skin cancer,” says Wendy Boughton, SAIF occupational safety and health nurse consultant. “That’s why cancer and other skin concerns often show up on places such as forearms, face, neck, and tops of ears that are exposed to the sun on a daily basis and not typically covered by clothing.”
Here are some tips on protecting your skin every day:
- Sunscreen needs to be applied to dry skin 15 minutes before you go outside.
- It needs to be broad protection (against UVA and UVB rays), SPF30 or higher, and water-resistant.
- Make sure you use enough. The general guideline is one ounce (enough to fill a shot glass) for the exposed parts of your body. A nickel-sized dollop is typically adequate for the face.
- Remember to apply to the top of head, back of neck, tops of feet, and ears.
- Sunscreens with higher SPF protection don’t mean you can stay in the sun longer or need to reapply it less frequently.
- Don’t use sunscreen past its expiration date or for longer than three years. To save it from going to waste, apply it every day.
- Lips need protection, too, so use lip balm with an SPF rating.
- Also wear sun-protective clothing, including a lightweight and long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses with UV protection.
For more information about sun protection, visit saif.com/SunSafety.
About SAIF
SAIF is Oregon’s not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company. For more than 100 years, we’ve been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.