NY Jets DL Coach Karl Dunbar takes skin care seriously, especially since he has vitiligo. As a coach, he helps his players not only understand how to become a great football player, but also how to take care of their skin and health. Since players spend a significant amount of time outdoors, we asked for his take on sunburn.
Is sunburn something you think about as a coach?
Yes sunburn is something I think of everyday since I’ve become aware of my skin condition – vitiligo.
What do you do when your players get sunburn?
Because our training staff does a great job of providing sunscreen and sun protective clothing for our players, it doesn’t happen very often.
Does sunburn happen often?
It happens sometimes when we play in Florida or Arizona early in the season, and games are at 1 p.m. In training camp we do a great job of practicing early or late in the day to avoid the Heat Index, when it’s high, and peak UV hours (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
Obviously with vitiligo, you think about sunburn. Is sunburn a concern amongst your players with darker skin tones?
No, the players with darker skin don’t seem to care until their skin starts peeling. We’ve done a great job of educating them about ultra violet sun rays and what they can do to your skin over any period of time.
If you’re unfortunate enough to get sunburn, home treatment measures may provide some relief from a mild sunburn. WebMD recommends the following:
• Use cool cloths on sunburned areas.
• Take frequent cool showers or baths.
• Apply soothing lotions that contain aloe vera to sunburned areas.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Cover-up with a hat, clothes and sunscreen outdoors.
While you cannot reverse sun damage, be SunAWARE from that point on and make a conscious effort to protect yourself from UV.
