Summer starts on June 21, and it’s already approaching 90 degrees F here at the Controlled Environments office. People’s thoughts are turning toward laying on the beach, tanning to get that perfect bathing suit body, and sipping cocktails in the sun.
However, these fun summer activities can comes at a price. The CDC warns that skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the United States. The deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, is most commonly caused by ultraviolet light, which can be found in natural sunlight as well as in tanning beds. UV light can damage unprotected skin in as little as 15 minutes, and the skin may not show damage for up to 12 hours after UV exposure. Cloudy days can still cause skin damage. Tanned or burned skin = damaged skin.
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery says that skin cancer rates are rising. ASDS members performed over three million skin cancer treatments last year, according to the 2014 ASDS Survey on Dermatologic Procedures. That total represents a 15 percent increase since 2011, with the total growing each year.
How can you protect yourself from UV light? There are the usual suggestions – apply sunblock, wear a hat and sunglasses, stay in the shade, avoid tanning beds – but a French company has used nanotechnology for the task.
“The project came from an off-the-cuff remark after seeing people looking like lobsters still in the sun,” Marie Spinali, head of Spinali Design, told The Telegraph.
Users need to download an app for their iOS or Android device, and enter their skin type so that the sensor knows how much time the user can spend in the sun without risking skin damage. The sensor embedded into the bikini fabric is removable and waterproof, so it can be worn while swimming. The sensor monitors the temperature and then sends an alert to the user’s device to let them know when it’s time to reapply sunscreen or move to a shady area for protection. A “Valentine’s version” can also send an alert to the bikini wearer’s partner, so that the partner can rub some more sunscreen on their mate.
The bikinis cost about $170 to $225. A beach towel, which has a similar sensor and will run you about $111, is also available. The company is also working on a swimsuit for children, which will also have the capability of sending an alert when the child wanders further than about 150 feet away thanks to an embedded GPS device.
Limiting sun exposure is a good thing. If you’re like me — an easily sunburned Irish-American with skin so pale that my college nickname was, no joke, “Casper” — you might just avoid the beach and the sun all together. But for those of you who actually enjoy soaking up some rays, “smart” nanotech devices like this could help you enjoy a healthy, skin damage-free summer.
