Title: Sun Damage
Author: Christie Barnes
Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009
Article:

As much as 95% of all sun damage happens before the age of 15 . The solution is a lot easier than what most parents are doing.

Many a paranoid parent's solution is hourly applications of two varieties of sunscreen, UV swimsuits and UV clothing.  The simple solution is so much easier but requires a change in mind set for most Americans.

I spoke to Dr Ned Calonge, the chief medical officer of Colorado, and he told me of the dilemma that all the heads of state medical departments discuss when they meet. 

"Sunscreen doesn't work.  It doesn't stop cancer or aging," said Calonge.  It does stop sunburns, and bad sunburns can lead to certain cancers.  But the majority of the damage is happening anyway.  But the health bosses don't want to start a panic.  Some sunscreen is better than people giving up and kids running around shirtless or bikini clad all summer.  There is an answer but the health experts think Americans won't go along with it. 

Other sunny countries get it.  You need to wear clothes to stop serious sun damage.  Aussies cover up; Indians, Arabs, Europeans, but Americans feel invinsible.

But this doesn't mean we have to run out and buy UV clothing.  I spoke to a leading international clothing manufacturer Scott Katzskee who admitted that the sale of UV clothing was down.  Katzskee felt there were two reasons:  1) the economy, why pay $36 for an organic UV t-shirt when you can get an ordinary one for $2; and 2) all clothing is UV unless it gets wet.

A t-shirt, or any clothing, is 98% UV protectant as long as it is not wet but drops to useless if wet.

So your toddler lasts about 20 minutes in the pool splashing about in his expensive UV suit but spends the rest of the summer running about shirtless or in a sleeveless sun top.  That isn't spending your money sensibly.

UV suit if you can afford it and if you and your child are in the sun for a long time.  But throw on clothes and a hat and sunglasses this summer.

Clothes are so much easier than applying and reapplying sunscreen to squirmy kids every hour or two.  And it is a simple concept for kids, cover up.

So the new solution is so much easier than the sunscreen struggle.