Visible Light: The Sun Damage We’ve Been Missing
Have you ever had a patient come in with a sunburn and you immediately ask, “Did you wear your sunscreen?” As dermatologists we might pontificate about sunscreen, even if the patient says, “Yes.” When someone says they used their sunscreen right—used enough, chose SPF of at least 50, broad spectrum and reapplied consistently and still […]
Don’t Blame Coco but We’re Still Chasing the Tan
I can admit it. Even as a dermatologist I still like the idea of having that bronzed glow. I don’t go to the tanning bed or lay out in the sun but the desire to be a little bronzed is still there. I just get mine out of a bottle, like a Jergens, and yes, […]
Prepping for Spring Break? Start with SPF—Not a Tanning Bed
You might wonder why tanning in March? Here in Ohio, we don’t see the sun much during the winter so when March hits, everyone gets Spring fever. With Spring fever often comes the desire to escape to somewhere warm and sunny. Right before my patients are getting ready to jet off, one question never seems […]
Style Meets Sun Protective Clothing
Obviously our clothing offers us sun protection more so than if we were stark naked out in the sun. Ever seen Naked and Afraid? Side note, yes mud can serve as sun protection too but clothing is better! Just wearing a white t-shirt offers you an SPF level of about 7. But what if you […]
Should I Care About the UV Index?
Have you ever checked your weather app and noticed the UV index (UVI) embedded in all the other details for your daily report? But what is the UVI? Think of the UV index as a way to predict your risk of getting a sunburn that day. Before we talk about the UVI, it’s important to […]