Summer safety: Enjoy the warmer weather, but protect yourself

It’s that time of year — pool parties, outdoor games, flipping hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill.

We want your summer to be bliss, so we’ve collected tips from experts on how you can avoid sunburns, bug bites and other health risks.

Grill meats more strategically

When meats — red meats, poultry or fish — are cooked at temperatures higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit, the chemical reactions that occur form compounds known as heterocyclic amines, or HCAs. Blackened or charred meat is especially high in HCAs.

Also, when meat is cooked over an open flame, fat can drip onto the fire or hot charcoal, forming polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. During the cooking process, vapors containing those compounds can get reabsorbed into the meat.

Some animal studies have linked consuming large amounts of HCAs and PAHs to an increased risk of developing certain cancers, particularly colorectal cancer. But epidemiological studies in humans have not shown consistent associations between consuming blackened or charred meats and cancer, said Elizabeth Platz, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Research on cooking methods and cancer risk is ongoing.

However, the data linking red meat consumption and cancer is stronger, with processed meats posing the greatest risk. For this reason, experts recommend limiting red meat intake to 12 to 18 ounces per week and avoiding processed meats, such as hot dogs.

When you do grill, marinate meat first to help break down the muscle and other components necessary to form HCAs and PAHs, avoid direct contact with flames and flip the meat frequently to avoid charring, experts said.

Pick a good sunscreen — and wear it

Wearing sunscreen when you’re going to be exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun is important for protecting your skin and reducing your risk of skin cancer.

There are two main types of sunscreens — chemical and mineral. Chemical sunscreens contain ingredients such as avobenzone, octinoxate and oxybenzone that protect skin by absorbing and filtering ultraviolet light. Mineral sunscreens, which are often less irritating to sensitive skin but can leave a white cast, contain titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that block, reflect and absorb UV rays.

As The Washington Post previously reported, the best kind to use depends on personal preference.

“I’ll tell patients chemical sunscreens are much more elegant to put on,” said Henry Lim, president of the International League of Dermatological Societies and the former chair of dermatology at Henry Ford Health.

“But if you’re concerned about the potential safety, even though the final data is not there yet, use mineral sunscreen.” (According to the Food and Drug Administration, while many of the active ingredients in chemical sunscreen can be absorbed into the bloodstream, there’s no conclusive evidence that the amounts absorbed have negative health effects.)

No matter what, pick a sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF, apply it generously and reapply it every couple of hours when outdoors — more often if you’re swimming or sweating.

Don’t leave plastic water bottles in your car

Single-use plastic bottles are made of a thin plastic known as polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. Over time, certain chemicals within the PET diffuse out slowly, said Bill Carroll, an adjunct professor of chemistry at Indiana University.

Some of these chemicals, such as phenols and phthalates, have been linked to pregnancy problems and neurodevelopmental concerns, among other health issues, said Nicole Deziel, an associate professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health.

Heat and ultraviolet light from the sun may accelerate this leaching, as well as degrade the plastic and cause small particles to shed into your water.

Microplastics, particularly nanoplastics, which are smaller than one micrometer, can penetrate tissues in the liver, kidneys, colon, placenta, lungs, brain and heart and enter blood cells and even breast milk, Deziel said.

While health risks from a single incident are probably low, “I would be cautious about repeated or chronic exposures,” said Jaime Ross, an assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Rhode Island.

Protect yourself from mosquitoes

To avoid mosquito bites, experts recommend wearing a repellent that has an active ingredient registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, such as DEET, the gold standard.

One alternative to DEET is picaridin, another FDA-registered synthetic repellent that has been found in some studies to be as effective — or even more effective — at repelling mosquitoes as the same concentration of DEET.

There is some evidence that certain essential oils can protect against mosquitoes, too. In one study of 20 essential oils, clove oil was the most effective against mosquito bites.

The total protection time an essential oil provides, however, can vary from product to product. Garlic oil, for instance, has not been shown to be as effective as other recommended repellents.

Guard against ticks

Ticks can get onto your skin — and spread diseases — by hitching a ride on your clothing or footwear, which is often the “first point of contact for larval and nymphal-stage ticks,” said Thomas Mather, a public health entomologist who has been studying ticks for more than 40 years and goes by the nickname “The Tick Guy.”

Mather and other tick experts recommend spraying shoes once a month with a product containing 0.5% permethrin, an insecticide that can be applied to clothing and gear.

On your body, you can use EPA-registered products containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone.

In addition, when you’re in areas where there could be ticks, wear tall socks and boots, tuck your pants into your socks, and use elastic bands and belts to close openings in your clothes.

When you get home, do a thorough tick check and take a shower to wash off any that have not yet attached, experts said.

Take water safety seriously

One of the best parts of summer can be time spent splashing around in the ocean or a swimming pool.

But drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second-leading cause of death from unintentional injury for those ages 5 to 14, according to federal data, so water safety is crucial, experts said.

One of the best ways to prevent tragedy is to enroll children in swimming lessons.

“It is very rare that someone with swim lessons drowns in a pool,” Mick Nelson, co-owner of Total Aquatic Programming, told Post reporter Douglas MacMillan.

Also, although it’s a good idea to swim with a lifeguard on duty, don’t rely on them. Inexperienced or non-swimmers need an adult who can remain focused solely on them, and competent swimmers should pair up with a buddy for safety.

When on a boat or swimming in bodies of water, children should wear life jackets that fit them properly and have been approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Finally, take steps to ensure your children are safe near the water even when you can’t be with them. Install fences around home swimming pools, use pool covers, and install alarms on windows, doors, gates and the pool. And when sending your children to camps or other people’s homes, ask what pool safety precautions they have in place.