Sun Protection: From Topicals to Drinks from the Tropics

Sun Protection: From Topicals to Drinks from the Tropics is organized by Collaborative Education (CE).

Description:
This course is designed to provide a thorough review of the many facets of sun protection. To best understand sun protective interventions, we first explore details surrounding the pathophysiology of UV exposure. With a focus on both photocarcinogenesis and photoaging, we will describe the processes giving rise to such clinical and aesthetic concerns. With this as a basis, we then move into a deep review of sun-protective topical products. The bulk of our focus will center around sunscreen filter ingredients. This course is beneficial for those Naturopathic Doctors and healthcare providers engaged in general practice, as well as those who are focused on aesthetics, dermatological, and/or dermato-oncological care. It is also designed to provide the course-taker with ample information, including numerous resources and references. As such, it is very much encouraged to explore these resources as a means of obtaining a deeper breadth of the topics we review.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the acute and chronic effects of UV radiation, including erythemal response, tanning, and other pigmentary effects, key details surrounding DNA damage and photocarcinogenic processes, immunosuppression, photodermatoses, and details surrounding photoaging processes.
• Review how aesthetics goals, and presentation of various cutaneous carcinomas, can differ across various patient populations
• Understand processes used to determine the SPF, for UVB protection, as well as methods used to characterize protection from UVA, including in vitro assessment and the PA system
• Explore the research surrounding the use of sunscreens for a variety of skin concerns, including photoaging, carcinoma development, melasma/post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and photodermatoses such as the polymorphous light eruption
• Recognize and evaluate the common concerns and debates relating to certain sunscreen filters, including common adverse cutaneous effects, changes to vitamin D status, and research exploring systemic absorption, endocrine, and environmental concerns, among others
• Identify natural compounds added to sunscreen formulas as a means of complementing sunscreen photoprotective effects
• Recognize the potential benefits antioxidants can provide to sunscreen formulation, as well as the formulation challenges they present
• Integrate approaches toward the management of sunburns
• Explore assessment approaches and patient education strategies for sun protection
• Analyze the various forms of research pertaining to the photoprotective effects of various dietary and oral supplement compounds, including various carotenoids, niacinamide, pomegranate, green tea, Vitamin C, polypodium leucotomos, among others

Course Topics 
Dermatology, Primary Care