BEING SUN SAFE: HOW TO ENJOY THE SUN WITHOUT GETTING HURT

Eyes closed, those tingling sensations are surely the sun's rays eliciting a golden tan long equated with glamour and fitness.

Yet, for many, instead of the desired hue, what results is an itchy red skin tone that encourages glances of pity rather than admiration.

But even for those who achieve bronzed skin, the sun's effects may be felt long after the definition of beauty and the tan have both faded.

The American Academy of Dermatology says the facts point to one conclusion: There is no such thing as a safe tan.

Dr. Kenneth Dempsey, a Cape Girardeau dermatologist, agrees with that finding, and takes it a step further. "There is no such thing as a safe tan and no such thing as a safe burn," he said.

While, "medically, everyone needs a small amount of sunlight on a daily basis," Dempsey said, the body receives essentially all the sunlight it requires through incidental, or normal daily exposure.

The American Cancer Society describes the "tanning process" as the skin's response to cell injury and destruction from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Sunlight triggers many changes in the skin. Suntan, sunburn, and freckles show up soon after exposure. Other changes -- wrinkles, looseness, splotches -- may take years to develop. The most serious change is skin cancer, which can be deadly.

Fair-skinned people with red or blond hair and blue, green or gray eyes who tend to freckle or burn rather than tan are at particularly high risk, experts say. However, anyone can develop a skin cancer, the Skin Cancer Foundation says.

More than 700,000 new cases of skin cancer are reported every year, making it the most common form of human cancer. Fortunately, skin cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer when it is discovered early.

The Skin Cancer Foundation says sun damage received in childhood can't be undone because harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation accumulate year after year.

Spreading the word about the potentially harmful effects of sun exposure, the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Coalition, an independent, regional group that handles federal funding for cancer education and screening, are taking the message straight to young people.

"We're going out to just talk to the kids at the pools, offering an opportunity for education, handing out sunscreen samples, and talking to them about protecting themselves from the sun," said Barbara Crowell, patient-care manager of Womancare at St. Francis Medical Center and a member of the Cancer Coalition.

The message is all about "being sun safe," Crowell said. "It's about how to enjoy the sun without getting hurt."

The program will include a visit to the Charleston pool July 22. Scheduling is under way for other July dates at the Jackson and Cape Girardeau pools.

Sun exposure in moderation and the integral value of sunscreen are important lessons for persons of all ages.

Sunscreen products with a sun protection factor of at least 15 are recommended by many physicians. The SPF number refers to absorption of ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun, called UVB rays.

Sunlight consists of many different wavelengths of light. The longer-wave UVA penetrates skin more deeply than UVB and promotes wrinkles, loss of elasticity and other signs of aging. Alternately, the shorter-wave UVB rays cause sunburn and wrinkling of the skin.

Research has linked both types of ultraviolet radiation to increased risk of skin cancer.

When choosing from the broad array of sunscreens available, Dempsey recommends that "the product also have UVA absorbers." Broad-spectrum sunscreens, like those containing benzophenes (oxybenzone), cinnamates and salicylates, can provide protection against both UVA and UVB.

A sunscreen with a SPF of 15 means that the individual can remain in the sun 15 times longer than he could without the protection.

The American Cancer Society recommends that people who feel they must have a tan do so gradually, with no more than a few minutes of unprotected sun exposure daily.

Sunscreens should not be used as an excuse for overexposure and careful attention should be paid to reapplying sunscreen after exercise or swimming.

Sometimes there are immediate results from sunscreen neglect. Pat Pennington, director of emergency services at Southeast Missouri Hospital, has seen what can happen when such precautions are ignored. A sunburn is a burn and is treated as such, she said.

While a few cases of sunburn are treated each summer at the hospital emergency room, "we probably see more from sunlamp than sunshine," Pennington said.

Pain, itching and discomfort associated with minor sunburn usually can be treated with over-the-counter soothing medications, she said. However, "If there is severe pain, discomfort or blistering, they certainly need to come to the hospital," Pennington said.

Added caution should be taken when determining treatment for young children with sunburn, she said. Infants and toddlers with sunburn should be examined by a health care professional, said the emergency services director.

For an adult with a sunburn, cool compresses and aspirin can provide relief, she said.

But, for any age, prevention is the best medicine, Pennington, Dempsey and other medical professionals agree.

Toward that end, Crowell and a nurse practitioner taking part in the summer Cancer Coalition program will talk with pool-goers one-on-one, explaining steps they can take to safeguard their skin for a lifetime. It is important to recognize that "anytime you get reddened skin or anything any worse than that, such as a blister, you've got some skin damage," Crowell explained.

Yet, the message for all ages is far from one of doom and gloom.

"Certainly, you don't want to keep them from being outside," Crowell said. "Exercise, fresh air -- they are important parts of being a child. Sunshine is important as well. We just want to protect ourselves from the harmful effects."