Sun Safety Tips for your Skin

If you’re of a certain age you probably remember slathering up with baby oil, and holding up reflectors to get even more rays.  Yeah, we were pretty stupid.  How many of us ended up with major burns as well as permanent skin damage?  Hopefully we’ve smartened up a bit but unfortunately I still see people – and their kids – spending way too much time tanning at the beach or pool.   

While we still consider tanned skin a symbol of health and beauty, the reality is that UV Rays can cause a vast amount of skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and skin cancer.  These sun safety tips can help you keep your skin safe in the sun.

The hours of the day where the sun is the strongest are between 10am and 4pm. This is the time to find a shady spot. However, if you are going into the sun during this time, ensure that the clothes you are wearing block your skin from the sun. You can check this by putting your hand on the inside of your clothing and making sure that from the other side you cannot see it. Be advised that even on overcast days, UV rays are not filtered through clouds and can still damage your skin, even if the shade and breeze mask the feeling of developing sunburn.

The most important thing to do in the sun is apply sunscreen, with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or higher. Apply it least fifteen minutes before being exposed to the sun. Use a waterproof lotion if you will be swimming and reapply it when out of the water and dried off. Finally, reapply sunscreen consistently – it is recommended that you reapply at least every two hours.

For your child safety, never have sunscreen applied to Infants younger than six months and thus should be kept out of the sun as much as possible. If it is necessary for them to be under UV rays, they should wear clothes that protect their skin from the rays.

Remember that children are extremely vulnerable to the damage that UV rays can do and that in order to instill healthy and safe sun-protecting habits, you should lead by example and always wear sunglasses and sunscreen.

Also, to protect your eyes from corneal burning, wear sunglasses that have labels indicating they protect eyes from UV rays.

When on medications, read the labels or check with your doctor if they will increase your sensitivity to the sun. If they do, take extra precautions and limit your time of sun exposure.

Related Articles
A Safe Day Equals a Sunny Day- Beach Safety 101
Choose Sunglasses Carefully and Wear Them
Pool Safety Tips For A Safe Summer  

• Tweet