Good in small doses?
Sunlight in small doses is essential for our bodies to produce vitamin D. Small doses often turn into larger doses with the distraction of out door activities to protect ourselves a sun block is necessary.
The Suntan
Tanned skin may be revered as beautiful, but that golden color you see is the result of injury to the epidermis, the top layer of skin. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays accelerates the effects of skin aging and increases your risk for developing skin cancer. To prevent sun damage, use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher when outdoors. If you have fair skin or burn easily, use a product with a SPF of 30 or higher.
Sunburn
Sunburn is skin damage from the sun’s UV rays. Most sunburns result in redness, heat to the touch, and mild pain, affecting only the outer layer of skin (first degree burns). Sunburn usually appears within hours after sun exposure and may take several days to weeks to fade. Pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen, cold compresses, and aloe, hydrocortisone, or moisturizing creams may help reduce pain and discomfort.
Wrinkles?
The long term effect of UV radiation is to make the skin look old and wrinkled. Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet light damages the structural components of the skin called collagen and elastin.. When these fibers breakdown, the skin begins to sag, stretch, and lose it’s resilience.
Uneven Skin Tones
Too much sun also causes irregular coloring or pigmentation of the skin. Some areas of the skin appear darker, while others look lighter. Sun induced thinning of the skin may also make tiny skin blood vessels more apparent, giving the skin a reddish appearance.
Age Spots
Some types of age spots are the result of sun exposure, which is why they tend to appear on areas that get a lot of sun, such as the face, hands, and chest. Bleaching creams, acid peels, and light-based treatments may lessen their appearance.
UVA rays make up the majority of our sun exposure because they pass so easily through the ozone layer. UVA rays cause wrinkling, skin aging and contribute to skin cancer. Tanning beds use UVA rays.
UVB rays are more intense than UVA rays and are responsible for sunburn and the initiation of skin damage that can lead to skin cancer development. They can also suppress the immune system and cause cataracts. Even though the ozone layer absorbs most UVB rays, enough of them pass through to cause serious damage.
UVC are the most dangerous of the three, but these rays are blocked by the ozone layer and they don’t reach the earth.
Avoid Peak Hours
Avoid being out in the sun for prolonged periods of time between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm. This is when the sun is the highest overhead and the strongest. Even on cloudy, cool or overcast days the suns UV rays can travel through the clouds reflecting off the sand, water and even concrete.
Cover Up
The best way to protect your skin from the sun is to cover it up. Wear clothing that will shield skin from the harmful UV rays. If you can’t see through the garment, then it will shield you from the rays. Ideally, wearing a long sleeve shirt and long pants provides the optimum sun protection. Because infants skin is thinner than adults or older children their skin will burn more easily. Infants should be kept out of the sun entirely, or covered completely with clothing and a hat that shades the face and neck. Sunscreen should only be used on infants older than 6 months of age. An umbrella or a pop-up tent can also provide excellent sun protection in areas lacking shade.
Use Sunscreen
In order for sunscreen to do its job, it needs to be applied properly. Be sure to read the label and follow these simple tips:
~ Apply sunscreen whenever you or your child will be in the sun.
~ Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before you go outside so that the sunscreen can form a good layer of protection. Don’t forget the lips, nose, hands, ears, feet, shoulders, and neck.?
~ Apply sunscreen generously and reapply every 2 to 3 hours. Also, reapply after swimming and sweating..?
~Apply a waterproof sunscreen to kids who will be around water or swimming. Even though the bottle says waterproof, sweat proof or rub proof it is still a wise idea to reapply every 80 minutes.?
~ The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that all children — regardless of their skin tone wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Although dark skin has more protective melanin and tans more easily than it burns, remember that tanning is also a sign of sun damage. Dark-skinned children can also develop painful sunburns.
Protective Eye Wear
Sun exposure can damage your eyes as well as your skin. The best way to protect your eyes from the UV rays is to wear sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection. Make sure the labeling states 100% UV protection. Children need eye protection too. To encourage sunglasses use in children allow them to pick out the pair they want. Also, remember that kids want to be like grownups, so lead by example and wear your sunglasses regularly.
Medication Precautions
~Check your medication labels to look for warnings about sensitivity to UV rays. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about it.
~After sun, after shave, and after chemicals, soothing balm is a relief for your skin redness.