Dear Running Doc:
It is now getting sunny and warmer. Every year I get a bad case of sunburn when I go out on long runs. I feel like I tried everything but I nust be missing something! Any general tips we all can follow?
Jeannie G., Long Beach, NY
Sunburn is the result of not using proper skin protection while being exposed to the sun's rays. The skin becomes red, tender, swollen and blistering may occur. Some people even get a low grade fever. The skin will eventually shed or peel, once the skin underneath has renewed itself.
A good sunsceen that allows sweating is a runner's best protection against sunburn. The SPF (sun protection factor) of a sunscreen is a laboratory measure of the effectiveness of the sunscreen; the higher the SPF, the more protection a sunscreen offers against UV-B (the ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn). The SPF actually indicates the time a person can be exposed to the sun before getting sunburn with a sunscreen applied relative to the time they can be exposed without sunscreen. For example, someone who would burn after 12 minutes in the sun would expect to burn after 2 hours (120 min) if protected by a sunscreen with SPF 10.
Running Doc's Tips to Avoid Sunburns while Running:
1. Run either early in the morning or late in the evening
The sun causes the most damage to skin between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
2. Wear sun block under the T-shirt
T-shirts offer an SPF of about 7. When the T-shirt is wet, it loses some of its SPF and the number gets even lower!
3. Wear T-shirts that have built-in sun protection
You can purchase T-shirts with built in sun protection from an athletic store or running specialty store.
4. Wash clothes once a month in Sunguard
Sunguard is a colorless dye that gives clothes an SPF of greater than 30.
5. Protect the face
Wear sunscreen on the face which tends to burn faster due to less pigment in the skin. Hats help too.
6. Protect your scalp
Wear a hat to protect your scalp from the sun
7. Put sun block on legs and all exposed limbs and trunk
Sunburn and Over-Counter Medications
If someone becomes sunburn while running, the following medications may help heal and make you feel better:
- Acetaminophen and NSAIDs can help combat the hurt
- Anesthetic creams and gels containing benzocain and lidocain can provide temporary relief: usually blue in color
- Aloe-based products soothe and cool overheated skin
- Moisturizers help keep skin from drying out and tightening up
I hope this helps you, Jeannie, and everyone else running in this beautiful weather!
Enjoy the ride!
Lewis G. Maharam, MD, FACSM is one of the world's most extensively credentialed and well-known sports health experts. Better known as Running Doc™, Maharam is author of Running Doc's Guide to Healthy Running and past medical director of the NYC Marathon and Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series. He is Medical Director of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program. He is also past president of the New York Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. Learn more at runningdoc.com.
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