The Facts About Sun Protection
Description
What does the SPF number in sunscreen mean? Which color shirt will protect you most from the sun? Test your sun protection knowledge with our Everwell Challenge.
Transcript
Female Speaker: Whether you're having fun in the sun or doing outdoor tours, we all need to keep those harmful ultraviolet rays at bay. But how much do you really know about being safe in the sun? We take this Everwell Challenge to test your Sun Protection IQ.
Okay, first question. By now, most people know that SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. But in a sunscreen with an SPF of 15, what does the 15 mean?
Male Speaker: How much time you can spend out in the sun before you got to reapply it, a quarter an hour.
Female Speaker: It means that 15% of the sun rays do not hit you on your skin.
Female Speaker: That means if you apply the sunscreen, you can stay outside 15 times longer than if you did not, I think.
Female Speaker: For the right answer, we return to dermatologist Sandra Read.
Sandra Read: The SPF15 means that you extend your time outdoors by 15 times the usual time and you are protected from sunburn.
Male Speaker: I've brought the sunscreen with me; I just forgot to put it on.
Female Speaker: Not only do you have to put it on, you have to put it on correctly. Dr. Read says you need to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before you go outside. Smear on a thick layer and reapply it at least every two hours.
Sandra Read: Then you have to look for the labeling. Does it list UVB and UVA protection?
Male Speaker: It's very painful now.
Female Speaker: Which leads us to question two, which of these should you not use to treat a sunburn? A) Aloe Vera, B) Petroleum Jelly, C) Oatmeal.
Female Speaker: B, petroleum jelly.
Female Speaker: I'm going to say it C, oatmeal.
Male Speaker: Petroleum jelly. I don't know.
Sandra Read: To treat a sunburn, I would not use B, which is petroleum jelly. What a sunburn is, is a first degree burn. If you put petroleum jelly on it, you're actually smothering yourself and increasing your heat and your discomfort. So you're looking more for products that would cool you down. Oatmeal is very soothing product, it's been out for many years. And Aloe Vera is soothing and cooling and allows moisturization and healing.
Female Speaker: No time for cool down yet.
Female Speaker: I am swimming very badly.
Female Speaker: Try this one. Which color shirt will give you the most protection from the sun? A) White, B) Yellow, or C) Black.
Male Speaker: I would say A, white.
Male Speaker: A, white. Well, I know, black being a dark color, it attracts the sun and it actually - am I right, first of all, before I explain.
Female Speaker: Black because it reflect the rays, or it soaks it up or something --
Sandra Read: The answer is C, black, and that is a surprise. I noted many people they think, well, I thought that more protection would be in white. But light clothing allows the sun to penetrate and come through the clothing.
Female Speaker: Dark clothing on the other hand blocks UV rays. It's similar to how dark curtains block light from coming into your bedroom.
Sandra Read: A white t-shirt on a sunny day only gives you like a sun protection factor of 5. If you get that t-shirt wet, it's the sun protection factor of 3.
Host: No one wants a sunburn, but is there a healthy way to get a nice bronze glow? True or false, tanning beds are safer than lying out in the sun?
Female Speaker: They really are both pretty bad for you. So I'd probably say false.
Male Speaker: It depends no how long you are in the tanning bed, how long are you out in the sun.
Female Speaker: I would say they're safer.
Sandra Read: That is false. Tanning beds are not safe. They are form of ultraviolet light. All forms of ultraviolet light, either artificial from tanning saloons or natural from the sunlight will cause skin cancers.
Female Speaker: Dermatologists say if you want that sun-kissed look, the only safe tan is one from a can. The sun is about to set on our quiz. Let's see how you do on this last question. What's the average percentage of sun exposure you still get on a cloudy day? A) 40%, B) 80%, C)100%.
Male Speaker: Either 40 or 80.
Male Speaker: I would go with B, 80.
Male Speaker: I bet its C, 100%.
Sandra Read: The answer is B, 80%. Ultraviolet light comes down very steadily all during the day. You don't feel the heat, you don't feel the burn, you don't know how much exposure you're getting. So even on a cloudy day you're getting 80% of the radiations coming through the clouds.
Host: So how does your Sun Protection IQ measure up? Learned anything surprising?
Female Speaker: I think I'm surprised that how much I actually don't know about sun protection and especially because I'm a lifeguard.
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