The weekly Prescriptions for Health column is part of an ongoing community health education effort by Franklin Memorial Hospital to provide information on an important health topic by its medical staff, with support from intern Sam Bennett, a junior at the University of Maine at Farmington majoring in biology and creative writing.
By Joshua Sparling, MD
If you have sensitive skin, summer can pose certain problems. Getting outside means facing insect bites, poison ivy, and other hazards. Learn how you can avoid these problems, so you can enjoy the outdoors safely and comfortably.
Perhaps the most familiar of all summer skin problems is the sunburn. A history of multiple sunburns can double your chances for developing skin cancer. You can prevent sunburn, especially in the middle of the day, by staying in the shade and by wearing a hat and sunglasses to keep the sun off your face. You’ll also want to apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher about 20 minutes before going outside. Put on new sunscreen every 2-4 hours when sweating or after swimming. If you do get burned, moisturizing cream, such as Vanicream or Aquaphor, can help ease the pain by soothing the skin. Bag balm should be avoided if you have sensitive skin because it contains lanolin, which is a wool derivative and this can be irritating to the skin.
Insect bites are another summer hazard. Not only can they cause itching and swelling, but ticks and mosquitoes can carry disease. Wear insect repellant when you’re in the woods where insects thrive. Avoid tall grass or brush where ticks can be hiding. You can also dress to ward off the bugs. Wearing long pants and sleeves or tucking your pants into your socks will keep them off your skin. When returning from the outdoors, check yourself for ticks daily. Studies have shown that it takes a minimum of 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease from the time that the tick attaches itself to your skin. Therefore, if you check your skin daily, you can be sure to avoid Lyme disease. Discomfort from insect bites can be improved with cold compresses to keep swelling down or topical hydrocortisone to stop the itching.
Finally, summer weather brings the growth of plants like poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. These plants are coated in an oil that causes rashes and blisters if it touches your skin. The best way to prevent plant exposure is to recognize what these plants look like, so you can identify and avoid them. If you do come in contact with poisonous plants, there are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk of a painful rash. Wash your skin with soap in cool water as soon as you can, preferably within 15-20 minutes of exposure. This has been shown to minimize the absorption of the oil resin into the skin, which decreases or can even eliminate the development of the rash. Scrub under your fingernails so you don’t spread the oil by scratching. Be sure to wash your clothes and sheets with warm or hot water to remove the oil resin. If a rash does develop, you can treat it with the moisturizers mentioned above, cool compresses, or an oatmeal bath. If the rash is severe (a good portion of the body is affected), or the rash spreads to your eyes, mouth, or groin, or if a fever develops, call your doctor. Severe poison ivy, oak, or sumac reactions may require prescription medications, such as oral prednisone, to resolve.
With so many hazards around, skin care is important during the summer. Be sure you know how to protect your skin from sun, insects, and irritating plants with these helpful tips.
Dr. Joshua Sparling is the sole dermatologist for Franklin Health Dermatology and Franklin Memorial Hospital, and the first ever and only dermatologist serving Franklin County. He is a native of Vermont but moved to Maine at age 11. Dr. Sparling graduated from the University of Maine at Orono studying biochemistry and microbiology. He then went to Dartmouth Medical School and spent 13 years in the Army as both an Army primary care doctor and later a dermatologist. Dr. Sparling was also deployed to Iraq in 2007 as a Brigade Surgeon to South Baghdad. He joined Franklin Community Health Network after leaving the Army in 2009. Dr. Sparling lives with his wife of 20 years, three children, two dogs (a Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Vizsla), one cat, and two rabbits in Fayette, Maine.
