Sun days

E: The Environmental Magazine, July-August, 1996 by Alyssa Burger

Be generous with sunscreen and reapply it every two hours and after swimming or perspiring heavily. Consider using an additional thick dab of physical sunscreen (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) on vulnerable areas such as the nose, ears and back of the neck.

2. Whenever possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants made of lightweight but tightly-woven fabrics. Put on a wide brim hat which can offer good protection for head, forehead and back of neck.

3. Wear sunglasses when you feel the need to squint and especially during midday summer sun, when driving on a glary day, while skiing, and when exposed to the sun for extended periods of time. Good sunglasses can cost less than $15 but they must have an American National Standards Institute label reading "Meets ANSI Z80.3 requirements."

4. Never use a tanning bed, booth, lamp or any other kind of indoor tanning device.

5. Children are in special need of protection. Sunscreens are not recommended for babies under six months old, so they should be protected by a tightly woven umbrella and dressed in lightweight clothes and a hat. Try to limit trips to the beach or other sunny excursions. For kids over six months, use a sunscreen with SPF of at least 15 that does not contain PABA (which can be irritating to children's skin) or a fragrance that can attract insects. Creamy sunscreens tend to work better for young children because they are less drying, more easily applied and stay on longer. Apply 15 to 30 minutes before exposure and every two hours afterward, Use waterproof sunscreen if your child is spending any time in the water and reapply after swimming.

Just because you've burned in the past, it's never too late to protect yourself from further sun damage. In fact, dermatologists are now discovering that protection from the sun - either through use of sunscreens or staying out of the sun altogether - may allow the skin to regenerate collagen and elastin, making the skin smoother and more supple. When the summer sun is shining, caution is advised.

CONTACTS: Aubrey Organics, 4419 North Manhattan Avenue, Tampa, FL 33614/(800)282-7394; The Skin Cancer Foundation, 245 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016/(212)725-5176.

ALYSSA BURGER, a graduate student in public health, is E's former advertising director.