The sun is out! Goodbye to heavy overcoats,
hello to sundresses and bikinis.
While sunny days and warm weather encourage
us to bare more skin and get a bit more
color, we still need to protect
ourselves against harmful UV rays.
What are UV rays?
Ultraviolet radiation is what causes skin
to burn when exposed to sunlight without
proper protection and SPF.
Why are UV rays bad?
Apart from painful burning and blistering
caused by overexposure to UV rays, your skin cells’ DNA can also be altered,
possibly resulting in long-term skin damage that can lead to skin cancer.
How to protect your skin:
To avoid skin cell damage and risk of skin
cancer, follow these suggestions to protect yourself while getting a light golden glow.
1.Stay in the shade
Sounds like a given, but limit your exposure to direct sunlight. Go outside and get your Vitamin D, but don’t
stay out too long.
2.Be aware of your surroundings
UV light can bounce off surfaces such as
water, snow and glass, doubling the
intensity of your exposure.
3.Wear SPF
Tanning lotion might give you that bronzed
look, but it’s not going to protect you from being burned. Always use a
sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and higher for extended exposure.
4. Pay attention to the time of day
UV rays are
most harmful between 10 am and 4 pm. Try to limit your exposure to those times of day when you can
absorb sunshine without putting your skin at risk.
5. Cover up
This is may be the last thing you’d want to
do when it’s hot., but putting on a regular cotton t-shirt provides an SPF of around
10.. Some SPF is better than none!
6. Grab a hat
Select wide-brimmed hats (at least 3” in
diameter) to shade your face, neck and ears.
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