What's a Tan?

A tan is the skin's response from exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The sun's UV rays darken granules of the skin pigment melanin - which is an amino acid, tyrosine, synthesized by special cells in the skin's surface layers called melanocytes. Exposure to some of the sun's radiation also stimulates the pigment producing melanocytes in deeper layers of the skin thereby causing a delayed tan about three days after exposure. The tan wears off when the skin's top layers wear off.

Adults have about 60,000 melanocytes per each square inch of skin. Skin color is determined by how much pigment the cells make and what color it is. It ranges from black (for some of us locals, blue) to a light tan. Melanin production is also caused by other factors such as, the heat, some chemicals, hormones and drugs mostly in combination with sun exposure, x-rays, and some common inflammatory skin diseases.

From the ' Series on . . .

Catch the rays before they catch you.

When at the beach, where the general idea is to take off most of your clothes, be conscious of how much time you are exposing your skin to the sun. Exposure to ultraviolet rays is cumulative over the years; eventually it can give you a leathery look and lead to skin cancer.

Beach visitors who are not used to it, and especially those with fair skin, should use sunblock cream or lotion with a sun protective factor (SPF) of at least 15, or maybe even 21 or higher. Apply it at the beginning. Don't wait until the day is half over or until your skin starts feeling hot or looking pink; by then it will be too late. The sun's rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Especially during the hot summer months.

[ Please Note: The Amercan Academy of Dermatology now recommends that you limit your exposure to the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Ultraviolet rays, the ones that do damage, go right through clouds, so it is possible to get sunburned even on overcast days. Water is reflective, bouncing UV rays up to zap you on undersides you think are shaded. Apply some of that protective lotion under your nose, as well as on top of it.

Babies under one (1) year of age should stay out of the sun. Use lightweight, light-colored clothing. Always cover a baby's head with a hat that has a wide brim. Only ever use a low level sunblock (around 4 SPF - Sun Protection Factor) as an infant's skin is sensitive and system may not be able to "flush out" chemicals absorbed through the skin.

Parents PROTECT Yourself and Your Children From the Sun With These

SUN SAFETY TIPS

Stay Away from the midday sun - especially from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - when the sun's rays are the strongest.

To Block the sun apply sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 about 20 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every two hours and after swimming and sweating. Apply sunscreen beginning at 6 months of age.

Cover up with a wide-brim hat or visor, tightly woven clothing and sunglasses when outdoors.

Shade - Keep infants under 6 months of age out of direct sunlight and in the shade. Use an umbrella over the stroller.

- From the Good Doctors of the American Academy of Dermatology & American Academy of Pediatrics

• Should Be Used Whenever You're in the Sun
• Should Have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or Above
  (Many of Our Lifeguards Use 30+ SPF.)
• Should Be Broad Spectrum - Block UVA and UVB Rays
• Should Be Applied Early
• Should Be Re-Applied At Least Every Two (2) Hours
• Should Be Applied Even When It's Cloudy
• Should Be Used Only To Protect -- Are NOT a License To Tan
• Should Always Be Used on Keiki (Children)!
• Should be up-to-date. Check the date on your sunscreen. If it’s expired, the active ingredients may no longer absorb UV light.

Click Here

From the July 9, 1996 ...

Science Questions and Answers

By C. CLAIBORNE RAY

. What does an S.P.F. rating mean on my suntan lotion?

. The letters S.P.F. stands for sun protection factor, but dermatologists wish people didn't think the numbers offered a license to tan.

A factor is a number used to multiply another number, in this case your time in the sun before burning. An S.P.F. of 2 means that if you usually start to burn in 20 minutes, using the product would, in a perfect world, let you bask twice as long before you burn, assuming that the product is fresh and full strength, that you apply enough (at least an ounce) and that you don't swim or sweat it off.

The almost universal medical advice is to talk about sunscreen or sunblock, not suntan and certainly not sunburn. And almost universally, dermatologists say an S.P.F. of 15 is what you routinely need to help you protect your skin just from burns.

And a burn is just the tip of the iceberg. The S.P.F. estimates only the amount of protection provided against ultraviolet-B rays, the so-called burning rays, which attack the skin surface, while insidious damage is done by the deeply-penetrating UVA rays, which destroy the skin's support structure. Some products will cut down both kinds.

The S.P.F. number dates from 1978, when the Food and Drug Administration proposed that manufacturers label sun-care products with codes from 2 to 15, based on how long they would multiply time in the sun before burning. Until 1986, the highest S.P.F. available was 20. New technology has made the top number of 1978 virtually the bottom number for cautious outdoors people of 1996, though higher and higher S.P.F.'s provide smaller and smaller increases in protection.

Readers are invited to submit questions about science to Questions, Science Times, The New York Times, 229 West 43d Street, New York, N.Y. 10036.

Click Here To Go To the Latest UV Index For Honolulu (and Other U. S. Cities)
Click Here For Detailed Information About And On How To Use The Index

Click Here to Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's Informative and Instructive Site on the UV Index

Click Here for Skin Cancer Information From the American Academy of Family Physicians

And, . . . Always Be Sure To Wear Your Sunglasses!

The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers the following guidelines when shopping for sunglasses:

• Choose glasses labelled to block 99-100% UV-A and UV-B light. UV, or ultraviolet, radiation in sunlight is linked to eye disease. Price has no bearing on UV light protection.
• UV light protection comes from a chemical coating applied to the lens, not from the color or darkness of the lens.
• Polarized lenses cut reflected glare and are useful for driving and fishing. Polarization has nothing to do with UV light protection, although many are now combined with a UV-light blocking substance.
• Large-framed wraparound sunglasses can protect your eyes from all angles, as opposed to ordinary eyeglass frames that may allow light to enter.
• Even if you wear contacts with UV protection, remember your sunglasses.
• In addition to the damage caused by a lifetime of exposure to bright sun, you need to protect your eyes from acute damage caused by single outings on very bright days. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet light reflected off sand or pavement can damage the cornea, the eye's surface. Similar to a sunburn on your skin, corneal ultraviolet injuries are painful, but usually heal quickly.
  
  And . . .
  
  
• . . . ophthalmologists recommend that you wear 99-100% UV-absorbent sunglasses and a broad-rimmed hat whenever you're in the sun long enough to get a suntan or a sunburn. Don't be fooled by a cloudy day. The sun's rays can pass through the haze and thin clouds.

HERE ARE SOME
BASIC OCEAN SAFETY TIPS:

• Swim in Lifeguarded Areas
• Never Swim Alone
• Don't Dive Into Unknown Water or Into Shallow Breaking Waves
• Ask a Lifeguard About Beach and Surf Conditions Before Swimming
• If You Are Unable to Swim Out of a Strong Current, Signal for Help
• Rely on Your Swimming Ability Rather Than a Flotation Device
• Look For, Read and Obey All Beach Safety Signs and Symbols
• If In Doubt, Don't Go Out!

Return to the Hale (Home) Aloha Page. You can also use the following links to continue your beach and ocean tour of Oahu's North Shore, South Shore, East Shore, or West Shore.

Or, you can go to the Beach Directory for a listing of all the beaches covered in these pages.

Search this site or the Web with Google:

Search aloha.com Web Search

Suggestions, comments and recommendations are welcomed. These pages are a project of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, a not for profit, professional association of Hawaii's lifeguards devoted to the advancement of lifesaving services and public education on beach and ocean safety.

Web Developer: This page is maintained by J. B. Lee. You can reach me by email by clicking here.
Last modified: 24-Sep-2005 06:58 PM HST

PLEASE NOTE WELL - A DISCLAIMER: The first aid information provided above is up-to-date and accurate, as far as we know, as of September, 2005. The information provided above is for general purpose use and furnished as guidance that is suggestive, not prescriptive, invasive, or medical in nature. You should always consult with or see a medical practitioner for definitive health care information or to receive medical treatment.

Aloha! . . . e malama i ke kai!