Click to enlarge COURTESY PHOTO The need for sunscreen can be seen on this sunburned shoulder which is the result of a day at the pool.

BY COURTNEY MURPHY

HERALD DEMOCRAT

As the summer heats up and temperatures climb past the 100 degree mark in Texoma, the need for sunscreen is evermore evident when battling the sweltering sunshine. What few fail to recognize, however, is how different the results can be from each brand, how the little SPF (sun protection factor) numbers on sunscreen bottles truly affect your skin, and finding which one is right for you.

When becoming skilled in the art of protecting your skin, understanding SPF's meaning beyond its name. "(SPF) is a measure of relatively how much longer you can stay in the sun without sunburn than you could if you were not wearing sunscreen," said  dermatologist Dr. Mark Koone.

Koone stressed that the difference between SPF 30 and SPF 50 is very minimal, with SPF 50 products only blocking 1 percent more light. He said that when making SPF 50, manufacturers must increase the concentration of active ingredients, increasing the price significantly, and that SPF 30 was a completely adequate choice. "I tell my patients not to spend more money on any SPF greater than 30."

Koone also said that darker skin has its own "built-in" sunscreen. "Skin color comes in many shades," he said. "The darker, the more protected." Koone said that the average white-skinned American has a 1 in 3 risk of developing skin cancer, whereas the average African American's chances are 1 in 1,000,000.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently adopted new guidelines to more accurately show a sunscreen's UVA blocking abilities. "UVA is not the traditional wavelength causing sunburn, but its contribution to skin cancer formation now is no longer disputed," Koone said. The new guidelines will change the appearance of sunscreen bottles, limiting stated SPF to 50 and using a new four-star rating system for UVA.

Koone also emphasized the importance of the correct appliance of sunscreen. "Sunscreen should be applied before going out in the sun, and should be allowed to completely dry," he said. "Waterproof is not rubbing proof. If you use a towel, you're removing your sunscreen." Koone did not emphasize a difference on sun-blocking lotions, gels, or sprays, except for personal preference, stating they all calculate SPF into them.

When treating a burn, pharmacist Jana Bennett said that the pain of a sunburn can be alleviated by taking a cool shower or bath as quickly as possible after overexposure to the sun. She also recommended taking an anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, and using a topical aloe vera gel to soothe the skin until it heals.

Albertsons General Merchandise Manager Jeannie Layman said that though sunscreen sales are not as sky-rocketing as last year's, they are still high. She said generally sun protection sales being around the Memorial Day holiday, pick up when school lets out for the summer, and end as the back-to-school season starts. According to a "Chemical and Engineering News" article, U.S. sunscreen product sales total about $100 million each year.