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Sun Exposure

Started by Stonewall, June 20, 2010, 12:35:15 PM

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Stonewall

I just saw a commercial for a new Aveeno SPF 100 sunblock.

As someone who has a rather large scar from having skin cancer removed I thought I'd throw this into the Safety category as a reminder as we get into the 101 days of summer.  I was taught 20+ years ago that anything above SPF 15 really didn't offer that much more protection.  Seems as that is still true.  I just visited my dermatologist for a check up and he gave me SPF 85 to put on my scar for when I'm in the sun, which is all the time since I live in Florida and like to go shirtless a lot (beach, mowing lawn, swimming, running, surfing).  However, he reminded me that as long as I use SPF 15 I'll be fine.  The SPF 85 was a free sample.
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If your skin would burn in 10 minutes in the afternoon sun without any sun protection, and you applied a sunscreen with an SPF 15, you would have 15 x 10 = 150 minutes (2.5 hours) before you would burn.

Percentage of Protection from damaging UV rays:
SPF 15 = 92%
SPF 30 = 97%
SPF 40 = 97.5%

There is some controversy about very high SPF numbers and just how much more protection they provide. As you can see from the percentages of protection of the different SPF numbers, the difference in UV ray protection in SPF numbers becomes minimal as the number increases past about 30 or 40. The difference of protection between SPF 15 and SPF 30 is great (5%), but the difference between SPF 30 and SPF 40 is minimal (0.5%).

Serving since 1987.

RADIOMAN015

Quote from: Stonewall on June 20, 2010, 12:35:15 PM
I just saw a commercial for a new Aveeno SPF 100 sunblock.

I just visited my dermatologist for a check up and he gave me SPF 85 to put on my scar for when I'm in the sun, which is all the time since I live in Florida and like to go shirtless a lot (beach, mowing lawn, swimming, running, surfing).  However, he reminded me that as long as I use SPF 15 I'll be fine.  The SPF 85 was a free sample.
-------------------------

If your skin would burn in 10 minutes in the afternoon sun without any sun protection, and you applied a sunscreen with an SPF 15, you would have 15 x 10 = 150 minutes (2.5 hours) before you would burn.

Percentage of Protection from damaging UV rays:
SPF 15 = 92%
SPF 30 = 97%
SPF 40 = 97.5%

There is some controversy about very high SPF numbers and just how much more protection they provide. As you can see from the percentages of protection of the different SPF numbers, the difference in UV ray protection in SPF numbers becomes minimal as the number increases past about 30 or 40.
Well I would think from a CAP ground team & mission base flight line activity basis, this is very good information and from a safety standpoint we should insure that (especially) cadets as well as senior members are apply sun block.  Long term explore to unprotected UAV is dangerous.
I'm wondering with the SPF 85, what is the protection afford by this?

Also not to high jack the thread but from a safety mitigation standpoint, even in hot weather shouldn't our ground teams we required to have long sleeves rolled down.  Additionally are our normal BDU caps/base ball caps the right hats to be using when in the sun or should be really be looking at boone or other type sun protection hats?
RM

PHall

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Yes friends, proof positive that any thread on CAPTalk can be turned into a Uniform thread. :clap:


Smithsonia

^^^^^^^^^^
I think Radioman015 meant to say "Boonie" hat as opposed to "Boone" hat... which is a coonskin model with a tail and currently not favored by most of the membership.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

JC004

Quote from: Smithsonia on June 20, 2010, 03:54:32 PM
^^^^^^^^^^
I think Radioman015 meant to say "Boonie" hat as opposed to "Boone" hat... which is a coonskin model with a tail and currently not favored by most of the membership.

But more likely to be approved by the AF than boonies.  Of course, it will come with a Triangle Thingy.

Is this super sunscreen some type of prescription thing?

Eclipse

Quote from: RADIOMAN015 on June 20, 2010, 02:58:27 PMAdditionally are our normal BDU caps/base ball caps the right hats to be using when in the sun...
Yes.

Quote from: RADIOMAN015 on June 20, 2010, 02:58:27 PM
...should be really be looking at boone or other type sun protection hats?


No.  He offers far too little protection-to-weight ratio.

Now, boonies, on the other hand...no.

"That Others May Zoom"

Old Timer

Very true, anything over spf 15 to 30 is overkill.

That said, there is never overkill when applying sunscreen. Both ground crews and boat crews should spray or apply sunscreen any time they get wet, either by sweat or spray.

When leading ground teams' in tropical climes back-in-the day, I always recommended adoption of the Israeli Army protocol of everyone downing a full canteen of water every hour (you drink up your full 1 qt canteen, and flip it over your head, grog-style, to prove compliance) and everyone would reapply sunscreen.

Personally, I prefer the spray stuff; easy to carry, easy to apply, and an open container would cover my gear in ooze.     

Don't forget the back of the ears, the back of the neck, and the back of the forearms. With rolled-up sleeves, many times we forget that our arms slide in and out a few inches as we walk. This movement exposes a stripe of inner and back of the forearm skin that burns oh so easily. A good dose of sunscreen there will prevent hours of misery later. 

RiverAux

Quote from: Stonewall on June 20, 2010, 12:35:15 PM
Percentage of Protection from damaging UV rays:
SPF 15 = 92%
SPF 30 = 97%
SPF 40 = 97.5%

There is some controversy about very high SPF numbers and just how much more protection they provide. As you can see from the percentages of protection of the different SPF numbers, the difference in UV ray protection in SPF numbers becomes minimal as the number increases past about 30 or 40. The difference of protection between SPF 15 and SPF 30 is great (5%), but the difference between SPF 30 and SPF 40 is minimal (0.5%).
The question is how much skin cancer risk protection does each 1% increase in UV protection provide?  For example, does increasing protection by 1% decrease your risk by only 1% or might it decrease your risk by 25%?   This may or may not be a 1:1 proposition.