A Dallas and Plano Dermatology Expert Offers Summer Sun Advice

As a skin-focused doctor familiar with the sunny weather common to Dallas and Plano, dermatology expert Ellen Turner, MD, sees no small number of patients seeking help for problems—cosmetic and medical—caused by inadequate protection from solar rays. Ultraviolet radiation can do far more than give you a temporary tan or painful red burn. Bare skin in the direct sun is a bad idea for anyone looking to do all they can to avoid spots, wrinkles, and the threat of skin cancer.

While all of these dermatology issues can develop despite a person’s best efforts to protect against them, people who use sunscreen properly and stay in the shade (or at least under a hat) have a much better chance of preserving their skin’s appearance and health.

A good dermatology practice is equipped to handle a variety of sun-damage symptoms, but dermatologists like Dr. Turner work tirelessly to emphasize prevention, prevention, prevention above all else.

Here is some summer sun advice, with a dermatology focus:

• Don’t let cloudy days fool you! Just because you can’t find the sun doesn’t mean its UV radiation can’t find you. Damaging rays hit your skin whether the sky is glorious blue, filled with puffy white clouds, or covered with a flat gray ceiling from horizon to horizon. If you’re going outside, no matter the weather, protect your skin.

• Advances in dermatology and related fields have led to some incredibly effective sunscreen options, but that also means you can be inundated with choices, only one of which involves what form you want it in: cream, gel, balm, lotion, powder, spray, or stick. Feeling overwhelmed already? The Skin Cancer Foundation puts its seal of approval on products that meet its high standards for adequate sun protection. Be sure to read the directions and determine whether the sunscreen you’re considering will be compatible with your planned activities, from hiking to swimming.

• Sweat and water contact can gradually wash away sunscreen, so apply new coats throughout the day. Again, follow the instruction on the container, but don’t be afraid to slather yourself up at regular intervals on your own. (Remember the tops of your ears!)

• Don’t trade out the apple in the famous saying to make it a dermatology-focused “A coating of sunscreen a day keeps the doctor away!” Even people who follow every bit of dermatology advice to protect their skin from UV radiation damage should get an annual checkup with a qualified dermatologist, who can ensure there are no abnormal growths or patches, coordinate a biopsy for anything that looks suspicious, and recommend treatment as necessary. If prevention doesn’t work, early detection and thorough treatment of cancerous tissue is the next best course of action.

• Know what sun damage can do. Educating yourself about the effects of UV radiation can drive home the fact that you don’t want to destroy valuable collagen, elastin, and other components of healthy skin, leading to wrinkles and lines. You also probably don’t want to develop irregular pigmentation. And you certainly don’t want to give any form of skin cancer a better chance to start growing anywhere.

• Get to know yourself. You may not have a medical degree with a dermatology focus, but you can get to know what your own skin should look like. Be aware of new spots or moles, and pay particular attention to any skin irregularity that changes, whether in shape, size, or color. Bring your questions (and your skin) to a dermatologist if you notice something out of the ordinary.

• Finally, give yourself a break. A few wrinkles or a spot here and there are easily treatable, especially with the dermatology resources available to doctors today. From skin-smoothing BOTOX® to volume-adding dermal fillers to a variety of skin resurfacing options, there are plenty of opportunities to reclaim a clearer, more youthful look.