Sunscreen and Other Options

Gloves

The easiest way way to prevent sunburn is to keep covered up, especially those who are susceptible to sunburn, ala light skinned folks. If you do not wish to cut down on the sun and wind burn while riding here are some options and truths about SPF ratings.

Stopping Sunburn

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor . This is a rating given by the Food and Drug Administration to over the counter sunscreen products. It measures the sunscreen's performance in absorbing or blocking UVB radiation. The way it works is the higher the SPF ratings number the greater the protection level. Specifically, an SPF sunscreen rating of 30 means if you use the sunscreen properly you can stay in the sun 30 times as long as without the sunscreen and get the same level of sunburn. Remember put it on 20 minutes before you go out in the sun for a ride. Then reapply every 90 minutes, due to evaporation and perspiration from you body.

The ability of a sunscreen to protect the user from UVB rays is defined as its Sun Protection Factor (SPF). The SPF is the ratio of the amount of ultraviolet radiation required to produce minimal pinkness (erythema) in skin covered by a sunscreen, assessed 24 hours after exposure, to the amount of UV radiation required to produce a similar level of pinkness in unprotected skin. If a sunscreen reduces the effect of sunlight on skin by 50% it would have an SPF of 2, if by 75%, the SPF would be 4, and so on. Most sunscreens have SPF ratings from four to as high as 40 or 50. The level of protection from ultraviolet radiation provided by the product increases as the value of the SPF rating increases.

The SPF applies for UVB rays only. The protection provided against UVA rays in chemical sunscreens is about 10% of the UVB rating.

An SPF of 15 will provide 15 times the amount of protection you'd get without using anything. Thus, if 10 minutes in the sun is enough to turn you red, your sunscreen would allow you to stay out for 150 minutes before burning. An SPF of 15 filters approximately 92% of the sun burning rays. For UVA the degree of protection is defined as the Phototoxic Protective Factor (PPF). These values are much lower, ranging from 1.5 - 4.8, because the energy contained in UVA is so much less.

Unfortunately, most people don't put on the right thickness of sunscreen and they don't reapply it frequently enough. According to Madhukar Pathak, a Dermatology Research Professor at Harvard Medical School, most people only apply one-quarter to one-half as much sunscreen as they should (about one ounce for full coverage). So the actual protection is only one-quarter to one-half the SPF rating. As a result, many people who use sunscreen actually end up with sunburn. For example, a study by Wright, Wright and Wagner published in the American Academy of Dermatology in 2001 showed that 73% of those who applied sunscreen became sunburned!

Another important issue about Sun Protection Factor or SPF ratings is that they do not address a product's UVA protection level - only UVB protection. In fact, many sunscreens do not protect against UVA which scientists now believe may be important to the creation of skin cancer. Because of this and other issues, the FDA has decided to move to a better, more comprehensive sunscreen rating program. The FDA had planned to publish a new rating standard with effective implementation by December 31, 2002. However, various delays have meant the new standard has still not been finalized. In the meantime, class action lawsuits have been filed in California for misleading labeling by certain major sunscreen manufacturers .

Here is a link to the consumer information paper published by the FDA: "Sunscreens" July-August 2000 . A more recent paper was published on Sunscreens, Tanning Products and Sun Safety April, 2003 .

Coolibar offers specialised brands of sunscreen with SPF 30 to SPF 50 ratings that provide excellent UVA and UVB protection, typically through the action of physical UV blockers. These products have consistently ranked very highly in our annual, independent survey of U.S. dermatologists. They have also been reviewed and recommended by Coolibar's Medical Advisory Board . We also offer specialty sunscreens such as zinc oxide sunscreen, gallon sunscreen and SPF 50 sunscreen. We believe these products offer the best sunscreen protection available in America today.

After effects options -

Maybe you skipped the sunscreen because you didn't think you'd be outside for very long, or perhaps you forgot to reapply after a dip in the pool. Whatever the reason, your skin is red-hot to the touch and seriously painful. Now what? You can pop an aspirin and apply a standard drugstore treatment that contains a numbing agent like Lidocaine, or you can try one of the following natural remedies.

To Stop the Pain:

1. Slather on aloe. If you're going to buy it in a bottle, the best choice is one that contains no added colors or fragrances. (A good option is Aubrey Organics Pure Aloe Vera .) But aloe straight from the plant may be even better and possibly more effective, says Lynne C. David, ND, a naturopathic doctor at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Purchase a plant at a garden store or florist, and then just split open a spear and rub the gel on your skin.

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2. Milk it. Soak a clean cloth in cool milk and apply it to the burned area for 20 minutes, says Hadley C. King, MD, a clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. Make sure you use whole milk; the fat content is what's soothing. Reapply every two to four hours.

3. Soothe with baking soda. You use it to deodorize your fridge, clean your house and bake bread.but did you know that you can use baking soda to treat sunburns, too? Just dissolve a spoonful in water to make a cooling compress, or add 1/2-cup to a tepid bath that you can soak in, says Dr. King.

4. Try vinegar. According to Dr. King, a popular folk remedy is to use white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar to relieve sunburn pain . She admits there's no science proving it works, but says that it can't hurt to try it. Just soak a cloth or towel in a solution of half vinegar, half water and apply it to the affected area.

5. Heal with herbs. The herbs comfrey and calendula promote tissue healing and have anti-inflammatory properties, says Dr. David. Ask at your local health foods store for a cream that contains this combo, or try Country Comfort Herbal Savvy , which contains both of these herbs as well as aloe vera. Or you can buy calendula tea bags, wet them and apply them to sensitive areas of your skin, leaving them on until you feel better. Mint tea bags are also a good pick, as mint has cooling, pain-relieving properties. If you don't want to apply tea bags directly to the skin, you can brew the tea, let it cool and then dip cotton balls into it to dab onto the affected area.

To Help Repair the Damage:

6. Drink up. "Dehydration is a serious side effect of sunburn," says Andrea Donsky, co-founder of NaturallySavvy.com , a website for natural, organic and green living. She recommends drinking plenty of water (your healthiest option) and other fluids to help re-hydrate the skin and fight dryness.

7. Let honey help. A thin layer of raw honey (the unprocessed kind; it should say "raw" on the label) spread on the affected area can reduce inflammation and help fight free radical damage incurred by the burn, says Donsky.

8. Lock in moisture. Dr. David recommends Burt's Bees Aloe & Linden After Sun Soother , a creamy lotion containing bee pollen, coconut oil, aloe and linden extract to calm and moisturize inflamed skin. Dr. King is a fan of Bach Rescue Cream , a homeopathic moisturizer with flower essences that hydrates and soothes the skin while fighting inflammation. She recommends applying the lotion right after a cool to lukewarm shower, when your skin is still a little damp.

9. Get more vitamins. It won't dull the sting of a sunburn, but an extra helping of antioxidants can help your body repair itself faster, says Dr. King. For a few days after getting sunburned, she recommends taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin E, 15 mg beta carotene and one to two tablespoons (or three to six capsules) of liquid flaxseed oil. Donsky also recommends loading up on vitamins, but she prefers to get extra A, C and E from food. "Carrots, spinach and red bell peppers are rich in vitamin A; citrus fruits and dark leafy greens offer plenty of vitamin C; and avocado, almonds and wheat germ are packed with vitamin E," she says.

10. Go fish. Donsky says omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in salmon, sardines, herring and anchovies, can help reduce inflammation and promote tissue healing from the inside out. Not a fish fan? You can also get these healthy fatty acids from walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, chia seeds and hemp seeds.