Hot Child in the City

If you live anywhere on the east coast, chances are you would have actually been cooler in your gym's sauna today than you were outside. "HotLanta" truly lived up to it's name with a heat index temp of 104. Record-breaking heat is scorching many other cities like New York, DC, Charlotte and Philadelphia. I am so jealous of those of you who live in San Francisco where the high today was 70 (as I write this, it's 91 degrees at nearly 9pm in Atlanta and 55 degrees at 6 pm there -- damn you Northern California!).  I honestly have a hard time spending more than a few minutes outdoors on days like this (especially considering it was a "code orange" smog day here, which means the air was as unhealthy as it was hot.). 


Since I can't completely escape the sun, there are a few key things I try to keep in mind as I sweat through these next few months waiting for those first few snowflakes to blow through (yes, I know I'm weird, but I would take winter over summer any day!)


First of all, I don't waste money on clothing that is labeled SPF (unless is is on the clearance rack). It's not that I don't care about my kids' skin....it's just that I can spend a whole lot less and protect their entire wardrobe with my own washing machine. For years I've sworn by something called SunGuard made by RIT (the dye people), that actually infuses loads of laundry with an SPF of 30. The coverage lasts for 20 washes so once I get the whole family's stuff treated, it covers us for nearly the entire summer. The product can be tough to find as many grocery stores no longer carry it, but it can easily be ordered online. 


Second, I make sure each of us is slathered in a physical sunblock that uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. More prevalent chemical sunscreens tout ingredients which can sink beneath the skin and have been linked to hormone disruption. One chemical in particular -- oxybenzone -- should be avoided entirely as scientists have found it penetrates the skin more readily and is especially dangerous for children. Unfortunately, the stuff can be tough to avoid as it is currently found in 60 percent of all sunscreens in the U.S. today. Sadly, it seems American parents need a molecular biology degree to decipher the best method of sun protection for their kids (yes, sunscreens are much safer in Europe -- yet another reason to lobby for that Parisian getaway). 


A list of the "safest sunscreen" options available in the States can be found at http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/. Some of our family favorites include California Baby, Badger, Burt's Bees and Episencial. And please don't forget to reapply as most people stay in the sun far too long for the protection to remain effective (and most don't apply enough in the first place.) I'll admit, it's confusing because, by the FDA's own admission, the jury is still out on whether or not sunscreen works at all -- hence the excerpt from their latest report in 2007 -- “sunscreens should not be the first choice for skin cancer prevention and should not be used as the sole agent for protection against the sun." 


Say what?


So, I guess staying in the shade is still your best bet, but failing that, sunscreen can't hurt. Or can it? 


Some studies have actually shown that a form of vitamin A -- retinyl palmitate --  found in nearly 50 percent of sunscreens, can actually speed skin damage and raise the risk of cancer. This form of vitamin A is an antioxidant that is a seemingly safe additive to night creams and lotions worn out of sunlight but actually alters the DNA when exposed to the sun. So, it's best to avoid retinols outdoors in high heat. 


Apart from direct sun, the heat itself can be dangerous, responsible from everything from heat stroke, cramps, rashes and dehydration. It goes without saying that you and your kids should drink more water than usual when spending extended periods outdoors.The thing about extreme heat is that you often don't realize its effects until it's too late. I'll never forget one Spring Break in Florida when a group of us went to a water park in Orlando to have some fun and work on our tans (in my pre-paranoid mama days). After an hour or so, I felt a bit dizzy so I went to the bathroom to splash some cool water on my face. The next thing I know, I'm lying on a mildewy floor with a paramedic standing over me asking me how many fingers he's holding up. I have no recollection of fainting and before we were gently escorted out, I was kindly sent to an air-conditioned room and given about a gallon of Gatorade. 


I cannot count the sunburns I endured as a child or the times I stupidly basted myself in oil and laid on what was a virtual blanket of aluminum foil in order to catch some rays. I am making up for my careless behavior these days, but the damage is already done. Most skin cancers are caused by exposure prior to your 18th birthday. I've been lucky so far, but my kids are clean slates and I intend to do everything I can to make sure their perfect little bodies stay that way as long as possible.