Gardening in the Summer Sun
If you have a garden, chances are you will ultimately spend some time
in the summer sun. Protect yourself. Did you know that skin cancers
are the most common forms of cancers? More common than breast cancer,
lung cancer and all the rest. The sun’s ultraviolet light and radiation
are by far the most frequent causes of skin cancers. According to the
American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), about 90% of skin cancers involve
those parts of the body exposed to sunlight.
Anyone who watches "Star Trek" knows that a photon torpedo
is a powerful weapon. To the television audience it appears to be a
blast of light but it is actually a blast of energy. Solar energy rays
that strike the earth are measured in units called photons. The most
efficient photons are invisible rays of ultraviolet light that are readily
absorbed by skin cells causing irreversible damage. Unfortunately most
people do not take the AAD warnings seriously. According to the AAD,
less than 20% of Americans avoid the harmful rays of the sun.
What happens to overexposed skin?
Ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation are the most
dangerous part of the UV spectrum. UVB exposure causes sunburn which
creates swollen blood vessels and surface redness on the top layer of
skin, the epidermis. UVB photons also affect genetic materials (DNA)
of epidermal cells, causing damage that may lead to epidermal cancer.
Langerhans cells of the immune system also suffer damage, which hampers
the skin’s ability to repair itself. WOW!
How do you protect yourself? Wear a wide brim hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
when you are out in the sun. The latest research suggests that sunscreen
may not prevent melanoma (skin cancer) but it does offer some protection
against the sun’s damaging rays. The AAD warns that if you have
light skin, red hair, freckles, moles or a family history of skin cancer,
stay out of the sun as much as possible. These factors will increase
risk of melanoma.
The following guidelines may help you avoid danger this summer:
- Limit gardening to the early morning hours or late evening after
the sun has gone down.
- Wear protective gear. Sunglasses, a visor and lightweight, white
or light colored clothing that reflects the sun rather than absorb
it.
- Wear a waterproof sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of
15 or greater.
For more information on skin cancer and sun safety visit the AAD website
at http://www.aad.org/skinrisk.html
Early Summer 1998
Vacations and the Yard &
Garden | Periodical Cicadas
| Bronze Birch Borer
| Moss Problems in Lawns
| Bug Bites—Grubs Are
Coming to Your Lawn! | Lawn
Care Calendar | Cybergarden
Sites | Hort Shorts
| Hort Tips | Food
Handling: Picnics, Barbecues and Outdoor Eating | In
the Kitchen: Persuading the Public | Locally
Grown: A Kitchen Herb Garden | Health
Update: Gardening in the Summer Sun
Index
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