Summer solstice is on Wednesday and one local dermatologist is telling us what you need to know if you spend those longer days in the sun.
“It’ll be the longest day of the year. With all that sun, you just want to make sure that you’re wearing sunscreen,” said Dr. Zaineb Makhzoumi, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine
She says that sunscreen should at least be SPF 35. And that you should be, “reapplying frequently. I also really advocate for patients to wear sun protective clothing as an alternative if they don’t like the feel of sunscreen.”
And she says skin cancers often take a while to show up.
“It does take, you know, a couple of decades for skin cancer to develop. So the important practices that you implement as a teenager and as a young adult will serve you well in your later years.”
Dr. Makhzoumi says that if you’re thinking that sunburns are just uncomfortable, you should be thinking more about what they’re doing to your skin.
“We’ve had research show that five sunburns doubles your risk for a melanoma,” she said.
So how can you avoid this type of skin damage? Between the high sun hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., she says, apply protective sunscreen or cover up.
“The most important thing is that if people are out there is either cover up with sunscreen or cover up with sun protective clothing,” she said.
