Airline Pilot Central Forums - Using sunblock on the flight deck?

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And turn the damned radar off when you don’t need it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floobs (Post 2705524)

Wear long sleeve shirts.

Yup.

In March, I met the founder of Method Seven sunglasses, James Cox, at a social event and we talked for about an hour. As the creator of new brand of high-end performance aviation eyewear, he has spent a significant amount of time and money researching what the windows in various airliners protect against. He knew a LOT about airline windows.

When I told him I was on the 737, he immediately said "your front windscreens offer good protection... but you better wear long sleeves and put a high-quality sunscreen on your neck and face, because the two side windows offer no protection at all."

I wear long sleeves and I just recently began applying a sunscreen on my face and neck when getting ready to start the day if I’m flying primarily during daylight hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by at6d (Post 2705831)

And turn the damned radar off when you don’t need it.

You’ll get more Trons from the CRT screens in the cockpit than the radar 6 feet and several layers of aluminum and avionics away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickair7777 (Post 2705503)

I believe that the increased skin cancer risk for crew has more to do with lifestyle, ie lots of time off and opportunity to spend time outdoors. I and a close family member have health physics backgrounds, and have done the analysis based on known risk tables.

Some specifics...

1) Cosmic radiation at altitude will cause a very slight but noticeable increase in risk of cancers associated with hard radiation exposure. We did the math based on my exposure as a domestic pilot. It would be a bit higher for long-haul due to:
a) Higher cruise altitudes
b) More time spent there (very high percentage of block time at cruise altitude).
c) Commonly cruising at higher latitudes, cosmic radiation gets funneled towards the poles by the earth's magnetic field (ex northern lights).

2) UVB is known to cause skin cancer, especially melanoma. UVB does not really penetrate modern glass windows in a jet.

3) UVA has less risk of skin cancer, but is known to cause aging of your skin. UVA can penetrate our windows, although layers of glass probably cut it down a bit. UVA also contributes to fatigue.

4) Older planes, and GA planes, with plastic windows, don't block much UV at all... you might as well be at the beach. I have a little more noticeable skin aging on my left side, despite being an FO and having spent most of my career as an FO. But I was a CA on a turboprop with poly side windows for a few years...

I use sunblock on my face when flying (daylight). I used to use it on my neck and arms but it turns shirt sleeves and collars yellow. That's mostly so I don't edge up aged more on one side than the other. Can't stop aging, but I'd prefer it be symmetrical :D

The radiation exposure calculations we did years ago were based on risk tables from the medical community. Newer studies might change that data.

I’ve read just the opposite, UVA causes the skin cancer and UVB the burns.
https://www.skincancer.org/prevention/uva-and-uvb

Another thing—-all those claims of UV protection for your sunglasses is a bunch of crap. I’d be surprised if they block anything.

And our sunscreens are crap in the US,

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report...er-sunscreens/

Quote:

Originally Posted by cezzna (Post 2705985)

The general consensus I've gathered over time is that UVB causes burns and melanoma. It is blocked by glass airplane windows, that's fact.

UVA causes aging and now there is more noise about it causing non-melanoma skin cancers (which are far less serious, melanoma is the real bogey-man).

But either way, I use sunblock.

My dermatologist said, “ Unless your sunblock has Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide listed as the active ingredients, it’s a waste.” I use Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen.

Was told the same . I get skin checked nearly every year and she said the same has to be a sink product for best results. I use it nearly every time I fly as long as I remember to do so.

Can’t hurt. Does ’t it protect me from everything ?, prob not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drivinghome (Post 2706102)

My dermatologist said, “ Unless your sunblock has Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide listed as the active ingredients, it’s a waste.” I use Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen.

Buy some mineral sunscreen next time your in Canada they have the good stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet Jockey 00 (Post 2706125)

Buy some mineral sunscreen next time your in Canada they have the good stuff.

Mrs Scobee, my high school English teacher, is unhappy with you're post.