Sunscreen???

 

Morning

You know what day it is and you know what to do.

Faithful Reader Victorian Barbarian asks about nude sunbathing.

"After some years of mostly avoiding exposure to the sun other than face, arms and legs—mostly swimming at night, for example, or always wearing a brimmed hat to keep the sun off my face and the back of my neck—this year I decided at age 72 that I was going to try for more of a tan. I decided that my backyard wooden fence provided enough privacy that I was going to dispense with swimwear entirely. Although I still wear clothes to water or otherwise tend to the backyard and patio greenery, everything comes off when I get in the pool. I started in early June with no more than 15 minutes of skin exposure a day, since I didn’t want to bother with using sunscreen. There have been a few setbacks due to travel out of town disrupting my schedule of exposure, but I’ve been able to slowly increase the exposure time to about half an hour, without ever getting a sunburn this year.

        It’s gotten to the point that I think I’m about ready to start lying out on a lounger and actually sunbathing. Naturally this is going to require using some sunscreen, especially for parts of the body that are less accustomed to receiving rays of sunlight. There’s a lot of advice out there about sunscreens, SPF, etc., much of it couched in “scare language.” I understand about sun damage being a lifetime accumulation, but it’s been decades since I had any sunburn or other obvious damage, so I’m thinking I should take prudent measures, but not go overboard with caution. Do you or your readers have any suggestions regarding the use of sunscreen and full body sun exposure?" 

Sunscreen should really be used, but the extreme SPF levels are pretty useless. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation: "SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB, SPF 50 blocks 98%. Anything over that offers a false sense of security." In other words, some folks overdo being in the sun and risk sun stroke (no fun!).

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends seeking a "broad spectrum" sunscreen to protect against UVB and UVA rays.

I have not used sunscreen in the pool for many years now. My time begins in May with 5 minutes front, then back daily - usually floating in the pool on a raft. I slowly increase that time week by week. Maximum is 30 minutes. I do go for a full-body exam once per year. So far, no issues.

However, a nude beach situation requires SPF because there is rarely a place with shade (unless you lug an umbrella with you) and the reflective nature of the sand.

And for nude cruises I used sunscreen as well.

Readers, what do you do or recommend?