Starting from youth, take sun precautions

As summer break approaches, concerns about sun exposure and its associated risks are returning. Excessive sun exposure is a cumulative issue — even minimal amounts of sun exposure can cause health issues over time. Whether students spend their summers swimming off the rocks at the Point, or sunbathing on the ledge, sun safety is a consideration that needs to be taken now to prevent health issues later.

Students at U-High find it difficult to avoid spending extended periods of time in the sun over the summer, but while they take some precautions and are aware of the associated risks, medical professionals say most people should do more.  

“The biggest concern with tanning is skin cancer,” Sarah Stein, a dermatologist at University of Chicago Medicine. “There’s a variety of different types of skin cancer, the most common is a basal cell carcinoma, and those are strongly linked to sun exposure.”

Basal cell carcinomas are the least invasive form of skin cancer. 

“Usually basal cell carcinomas are a local problem. They usually just eat away at the skin where they arise, causing deformity and scarring,” Dr. Stein said. “They are usually not a risk for overall health, but in rare situations they can be even more complicated.”

Sun exposure can also lead to more serious cases of skin cancer. 

“Melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer, is also strongly linked to sun exposure but can also arise without sun exposure,” Dr. Stein said.

These skin cancers, which are often associated with tanning beds after the 1980s, occur just as commonly with natural sun tanning. 

“Natural sun exposure and ultraviolet exposure in forms like tanning beds are equally dangerous,” Dr. Stein said. 

Different wavelengths of light are responsible for sunburns and skin cancer, yet people are most commonly exposed to both in conjunction.

“There’s a couple different wavelengths of ultraviolet light — UVA and UVB are most relevant,” Dr. Stein said. “UVB is what causes you to get a sunburn, but UVA — which is always right there with it — penetrates more deeply and affects the DNA of your skin cells, which we believe starts the process for skin cancer.”

Although skin cancer typically doesn’t arise as a problem until later in life, Dr. Stein believes that teens should start protecting themselves now.

“The more you’re protecting yourself from ultraviolet light even as a young person, the better you’ll be years down the road,” Dr. Stein said, “because a lot of the damage is being done during childhood.”

People can take many forms of protection, but Dr. Stein suggests physical barriers as the most effective method. 

“The best, most effective, safest, most environmentally conscious way to protect ourselves is with clothing, hats, shade, sunglasses, all these physical means of protecting from the sun,” Dr. Stein said. “The sunscreen lotions and creams, we unfortunately never use them as comprehensively as necessary to get protection.”

Some students are aware of these risks, but find them unavoidable.

“I spend a lot of time outside because of rowing,” sophomore Frances Lewis said, “but I feel comfortable because I can take precautions like wearing a long-sleeve SPF shirt.”

Junior Nathan Kilkus, who plays on the baseball team, reaffirmed this sentiment.

“Sometimes I do get sunburnt while playing,” Nathan said. “But I do my best to wear sunscreen during practice and games.”

Sometimes, students spend extended periods of time outside in the summer just to relax. During the coronavirus pandemic, senior Jana Reiser found it easier to spend time with her friends outside during the summer, especially around Promontory Point.

“It’s more convenient to spend time outside because my friend group is too big for us to comfortably hang out indoors without a lot of planning,” Jana said. 

Jana gets easily sunburned, so she is sure to take as many precautions as possible while outside.

“I usually just lather myself in sunscreen, and if I go swimming I make sure to reapply often. Sometimes I’ll even wear a long-sleeve swimsuit in order to cover my back, which gets sunburned the most.”

Dr. Stein is confident that the dangers of sun and UV exposure are more well known recently.

“Generally, the population is more aware now than they were 30 or 50 years ago because there is just more talk of it in the press and the public just in general,” Dr. Stein said. “Though I’m not sure that teens or young people are understanding why we need to be protected.”