Summertime means “fun in the sun!” but if we are not careful, the sun could be not so fun. Experts say that you only need to expose yourself to continuous direct sunlight for as little as 15 minutes to put delicate skin in danger. The hours between 10am and 4pm, late spring and early summer, are the riskiest. Natural skin color is also a factor – the fairer your skin the higher the risk of suffering sun damage. In a worst case, too much sun can cause skin cancer; but also ages appearance and can be very painful. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the following “easy options” for sun protection:
- Use Sunscreen! It is important to have sun protecting factors (SPF) of 15 or higher. And you don’t have to be going to the beach to wear it. This summer try to make it part of your daily morning routine. For women, there are several foundations out there that now have SPF’s in it.
- Reapply! Every two hours you should reapply your sunscreen. Also, just like the first time, wait thirty minutes before getting back out in the sun once you reapply.
- Wear Clothing! While not sun-bathing or swimming it is wise to wear a cover-up and a hat if you choose to stay out in the sun.
- Speaking of Hats! Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck. It protects you in all the sensitive places.
- Wear Shades! They’re cool and protect your sensitive eyes. Choose sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of the rays as possible.
- Seek Shade! Especially during midday hours, if you want to spend time in the great outdoors, it is always better to sit in the shade than in the sun!