3 Tips For Staying Safe In The Sun

3 Tips For Staying Safe In The Sun

Did you know that skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in America? The reason for this is most likely that we don’t use enough protection when we go out in the sun, and we don’t realize quite what damage the sun’s UV rays are doing. Education on this matter has come a long way, but there are still areas that people aren’t so aware of, and it’s important to learn as much as possible about how to stay safe in the sun to prevent any illness or damage. Read on to find out more. 

Wear Protective Clothing 

Your first thought when it comes to going outside when it’s hot is to wear a T-shirt and a pair of shorts or a skirt, or something else that allows you to feel cooler. Long sleeves and pants will usually be the last thing on your mind. Yet, these are actually what will protect you the most, and should be the outfit you choose. Of course, just because the sleeves and legs of your outfit are long, that doesn’t mean you’ll be hot as long as the clothing is also thin

Hats are also important. Not only will they protect your face (as long as you choose one with a wide brim), but you’ll find the tips of your ears and your neck are kept safe too, and these are areas that you might normally forget about and can easily burn. 

Finally, don’t forget your accessories, and in particular your sunglasses. Even if you normally wear eyeglasses, you can get sunglasses for reading so you can ensure you are safe and can see well. As long as you purchase sunglasses that can block both UVA and UVB rays, your eyes will stay safe and not suffer any damage that might lead to vision problems in the future. 

Limit Your Time In The Sun 

Whether the sun is bright and shining hot or the day is a hazy one, those rays will still be coming through – it doesn’t matter if you can feel them or not. The best thing to do because of this is to stay out of the sun when the rays are at their strongest. In the majority of cases, this will be between ten in the morning and four in the afternoon. 

If you’re at work then this isn’t such a difficult thing to achieve (assuming you work indoors, of course), but if you’re out for the day try to take a break and go inside when the sun is strong. Alternatively, look for some shade if you can. 

Use Sunscreen

One of the most important tools in the fight against skin damage from the sun is sunscreen. It can take just 15 minutes for you to burn to such an extent that major damage is done, so wearing sunscreen will give you much more time outside. This is what sunscreen does. It doesn’t permanently stop the sun’s rays from burning your skin, but it does mean the damage takes longer to occur. A factor 30 sunscreen means you can be outside for 30 times longer than you could without any protection before you burn.