Help] I walk dogs for one to two hours a day in the middle of the day. How do i realistically protect my skin?

Hi,

On top of other work, I’ve spent the past four years or so walking dogs. For a time, I thought this wouldn’t be too bad for my skin, since it was a relatively short exposure time and I wore sunglasses and a hat in the summer.

I’ve definitely noticed the skin on my hands aging, though, and I’m starting to worry more about cancer.

I usually use sunscreen on very bright days, but I’ve learned that I’m supposed to be doing it all of the time.

For protection, I have a beard, sunglasses, and usually wear a hat with a bandana under it or a hoodie.

The main areas I leave unprotected are my hands, legs+arms (in the summer), and lips.

Hands can be annoying, since even “waterproof” sunscreens can wash off. I sometimes protect my legs and arms with sunscreen, but with the heat here, it’s really unpleasant wearing long clothing in the summer. Every standard sunscreen lip balm I’ve ever used has caused peeling or some kind of skin issue.

Any advice for better protection? Products? Am I spending enough time outside to be seriously worried?

Thanks

Yes, you’re spending a lot of time outside. Yes, you need to use sunscreen all the time during the day, sunny or not, 10 min or 10 hours. Also reapply throughout if you’re spending that much time out.

And honestly, the best and only way to truly protect your skin is to cover it! Ever seen landscapers and lawncare people? Ever wonder why they stay fully covered even in the raging sun? Yea, it’s uncomfortable but it’s the only thing that works! Maybe use athletic wear tho, so you’re fully covered but by a breathable fabric so you don’t overheat. Or some nice loose linen clothes.

A super wide brimmed hat, sunscreen on hands and face at all time (check out Asian sunscreens if you don’t like the feel of yours), and long sleeved, technical fabrics - if it’s hot where you are, get the shirt wet before you go out, and you’ll be cooler than you would have been in a tank top. I used to do this while training for a marathon.

I wouldn’t worry about it, but I would take it seriously and it sounds like you already are.

IIRC, the order of sun protection is stay inside; keep covered; stay in the shade; use sunscreen. Walking dogs sounds wonderful, it has to be good for your physical and mental health, so let’s skip staying inside.

Keep covered: you’re doing pretty good already with the hat and the sunnies et al. A hat is good. A hat with a wide brim and a UPF rating is going to be better. If your hat is a flimsy thing you got from Walmart, maybe make an upgrade.

Covering your arms and legs is going to do more to protect them from the sun. If you want to maximize your protection, you’re looking for something made from UPF material - a lot of it is intentionally made light-weight and with sweat wicking properties, because… it’s for people who are being active outdoors in the sun. Here’s a wire cutter article about UPF clothing that might be a good start: The Best Sun Protection Clothing of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter

They also make UPF gloves. Would I wear UPF gloves? No. Would I if I had a prior history of skin cancer? Yeah, you know, I think I might.

Otherwise you just gotta keep reapplying the hand sunscreen after washing. But also: you put the sunscreen on 20-30 minutes before you go out walking… how many times are you gonna wash your hands before you get home? I’m not imagining there’s too many reapplications needed there.

The deal with sun protection is that more is better than some; and some is better than done. It would do you NO GOOD to have some elaborate sun protection ritual you only bother with 5% of the time vs. something that feels easy and is maybe technically “less comprehensive” - but you do it without thinking about it 99% of the time.

A lot of this is also going to depend on where you live. There are parts of the world where it would be totally inappropriate to walk dogs at midday, because it would be too hot for the dog.

Final thought: you might get peace of mind from finding a dermatologist who can do an annual full skin exam and they could give you recommendations that takes into account your skin type and the part of the world where you’re doing this walking. This is especially true if you have a family history of skin cancer.

I work outside all day, everyday, in all seasons. You have to cover your skin, even when it’s hot and it seems illogical. Get long sleeve shirts and pants in lightweight fabrics in white/light colors, and I guarantee you’ll not only be cooler,but you’ll also be protecting your skin from UV damage. Look for cotton, linen, or tech fabrics if you don’t mind synthetics. Get a wide brimmed hat and wear it proudly. Take note of what landscapers/mowers are wearing - its usually long pants and sleeves and a big straw hat. Also look into fishing gear, which is made for long hours in the hot sun.

My go to is to get a lightweight sun protection hoodie. These hoodies protect better than sunscreen because they can block 100% of UV/UVA rays.

Another suggestion is to get a wide brim hat that is used for sun protection.

Also get use to reapplying sunscreen once every hour or so.

I’ve linked an amazon page in regards of the hoodie for an example.

Supplements like Astaxanthin and HelioCare work from the inside to help protect against sun damage and burn. In general, antioxidants will be great to help protect you against all kinds of oxidative damage. Of course, they are not a replacement for sunscreen/sun clothes, but they are something you can add to up your protection :sparkles: