There are four levels to summer skin protection, says MU Health Care dermatologist

The summer season is starting to hit in Missouri with expected sunny, hot and often humid days and a University of Missouri Health Care doctor is providing advice on how to stay skin safe as the temperature gauge creeps up.

Kari Martin, MU Health Care dermatologist, and associate professor of dermatology and child health spoke on skin protection not only from the sun, but addressing skin irritants, such as bug bites and other skin issues from plants, such as poison ivy.

There is a lot of good information on sun exposure, tanning and skin cancer, but skin protection myths Martin hears year-in-year-out relate to tanning and vitamin D production, she said.

"Some of them are 'I need a base tan before I go on a trip,' or if, 'I get a tan, I won't burn,'" Martin said. "Even a tan is sign of damage on the skin, which can predispose you in the long run to increased rates of skin cancer."

While a person's skin does help make pre-vitamin D and into vitamin D, that process is limited and depending on skin pigmentation only needs five to 15 minutes exposure.

"Really, we need to get vitamin D from our diet or from supplements," Martin said.

Overheating is possible as temperatures increase into the summer months. Signs of heat exhaustion and other heat and sun-based issues can present with flu-like symptoms of thirst, nausea, dizziness tiredness, among others, she said.

Sunscreen final, not first defense

Sunscreen is seen as a last line of defense, or fourth level of protecting against the sun.

"If you can plan an activity, such as gardening or yard work, do it earlier in the day or late day and avoiding those peak hours of sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.," Martin said. "After that, find shade where you can or bring an umbrella to create your own shade. The third way is (wearing) sun protective clothing. That has come a long way. There are a lot good brands."

The rule of thumb with sunscreen is to use one with a SPF 30 or higher and reapply every couple of hours. This depends on how much a person sweats or if they are swimming and in and out of a pool, she said. Setting a reminder timer to reapply helps, Martin said.

There are two types of sunscreen: mineral based and chemical based, Martin said.

Mineral-based sunscreens are better for people with sensitive skin issues like eczema or psoriasis, but because of their formulation can leave a white cast on skin. These also are easier to wipe off, such as when toweling off after swimming since mineral-based sunscreen sits on the skin's surface, Martin said.

Chemical sunscreens usually are in lotions that go on smoother than mineral sun screen, or the aerosol spray cans, she said. Chemical sunscreens bind to skin to absorb the sun's energy to release it in a way that doesn't harm the skin, she added.

"There are UV indicators either as a sticker or a bracelet or some sun screen bottles have color-changing UV technology. They are clear or white at baseline and when they have had a significant amount of UV exposure, they turn color.

"That's a good visual reminder it is time to reapply."

Forming early habits

One way to help with summer skin care for youth is parents or guardians helping children form early habits with regard to skin care, Martin said. This helps when sending children to summer camp programs and other activities where they are supervised by people other than their parents, she said.

"Getting kids in the habit really early and empowering them to understand their skin and the sun is really powerful and really important," she said, adding fair-skinned children will need more protection. "They will advocate for themselves when they are not with (their parent)."

Camps and day cares often have forms asking about skin care concerns or needs to aid camp or day care staff, Martin said. For those that don't, parents can get doctor notes to ensure a skin safety regimen is followed.

Summer rash causes

Most summer skin rashes are caused by bug bites, such as from chiggers, or plants, causing a contact dermatitis from poison ivy or poison oak, among others.

"Kids especially will get covered and inundated with bites. ... You can also have a heat rash or where your body will flush easier. Those don't stay for days, but they can cause itching and discomfort."

For those prone to summer heat rashes, Martin says to stay cool where you can, such as through personal fan misters, cooling cloths doused in water or even just taking an antihistamine for not only heat rash, but also allergy triggers, such as pollen.

"When the skin is kept wet and has air running over it, it can really help keep the body cool," she said, adding the antihistamines can help keep your skin from "feeling prickly from the heat and high allergen levels."

Eczema is sensitive to heat and can flare up in warm weather, so Martin recommends finding ways to keep cool. Psoriasis is not as sensitive to heat.

"Every skin condition is a little bit different, so I recommend asking your doctor about what is specific to your skin type get the best recommendation for the skin disease you are dealing with," Martin said.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: MU Health Care dermatologist gives summer skin care advice