Gardening Safely in the Sun

After a cold winter and a gloomy spring, we often long for sunshine and look forward to spending time in our yards and gardens. With that sunshine, however, comes the risk of skin damage. According to statistics from the Skin Cancer Foundation, in the United States, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers combined, and one in five people will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. Also, more than two people die of the disease every hour. With these statistics in mind, it is important to educate and protect ourselves against the sun's damaging rays.

The cause of tissue damage is the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Violet is the shortest wavelength of visible light and ultraviolet; its name, derived from the Latin word ultra, meaning beyond, is the next shortest. UV radiation can penetrate cloud cover, and its damage accumulates over the years. There are three types of UV radiation: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC radiation is almost completely absorbed in the Earth's ozone layer and does not affect our skin or eyes. UVA radiation makes up 95% of the radiation that makes it to the Earth's surface and damages the collagen and elastin in our skin. While UVB radiation only makes up 5%, it is very high energy and can cause DNA mutations that can lead to cancer.  UV radiation also contributes to the formation of cataracts.

One of the best ways to limit your sun exposure is by staying in the shade during the hours when the sun's rays are the strongest, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A good way to think of this is if your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade. Often, however, this is not possible, and the first form of protection we may think of is sunscreen. It is important to remember that sunscreen is just a filter; it does not block all UV rays. Choose a product with broad-spectrum protection that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. SPF only measures UVB radiation, and the number indicates how long, when applied as directed, those rays will take to redden your skin. When using a sunscreen with an SPF of 30, it will take thirty times longer for your skin to redden than with no sunscreen. Sunscreens fall into two categories, chemical and mineral. They both work similarly, so it is really personal preference as to which one you use. Some individuals notice stinging with chemical sunscreens, and mineral sunscreens often leave a noticeable white cast on your skin. Be sure to apply a lip balm with sunscreen as well. Try to apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going out into the sun to give it time to work. If you are also using insect repellent, apply sunscreen first. It is best not to use a combination product containing both sunscreen and insect repellent, as you may need to reapply sunscreen more often than it is safe to reapply insect repellent.

Think beyond sunscreen and cover up. Start at the top with a hat and work down. Try to choose a wide-brimmed hat to shade your face, head, ears, and neck. Select wrap-around sunglasses that block 99 to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays. Some labels may say that the lenses have a UV absorption of up to 400nm, which means they have 100% absorption. Clothing can be a great way to protect your skin. Of course, the more skin your clothing covers, the better you are protected, so long-sleeved shirts and pants provide the most protection. Not all fabrics and colors provide equal protection. Dark color fabrics offer more protection than lighter shades. Densely woven cloth, like denim, provides more protection than thinly woven cloth. Unbleached cotton contains natural ingredients that act as UV absorbers. Tight-fitting clothes can stretch and reduce the level of protection, so choose garments that are loose-fitting. One way to evaluate the fabric's safety is to hold it up to the light. If you can see through it, UV radiation can easily pass through the fabric to your skin.

Sun protective clothing is one of the most effective forms of sun protection. It absorbs or blocks harmful UV radiation. The ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) indicates how much UVB and UVA radiation the fabric allows to reach your skin. A UPF of 30 offers very good protection, while a UPF of 50 is rated as excellent. Look for clothing manufacturers that offer clothing with a UPF number on the label. You can purchase just about any article of clothing with a UPF label, including shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, shorts, and hats. Another clothing option is sun protection sleeves. These are designed to be worn with a short-sleeved shirt, and some styles have thumb holes that provide some coverage of the back of the hand.

Keeping ourselves safe from the effects of the sun is easy and just requires thinking ahead. Along with trowels, shovels, and lawn equipment, we can add some other tools to our gardening toolboxes and continue to enjoy our gardens and yards while keeping our skin and eyes healthy.