Sun Safety

Remember when a tan was all you wanted?
Sunburns were all I ever got!
Today suncreen is my best friend. Summertime! Sunshine! Sunscreen! After too many sunburns, I have decided that a "True Redhead Suntan" is the only way to go. I wear sunblock. The more freckles you have, the more it looks like a tan!

Avoid sun exposure between 10 AM - 4 PM. You will be able to avoid about 75% of the sun's most damaging rays.

Always wear a broad-spectrum (UVA & UVB) sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher.

Apply sunscreen/sunblock at least 20 minutes prior to sun exposure. Reapply frequently, especially after swimming, perspiring heavily or drying off with a towel. Discard outdated products or anything from last season. Avoid products that combine UV & insect protection in one. The sunscreen effectiveness may be reduced.

Wear a hat! It protects areas often exposed to the sun, such as the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, scalp and hair color!

Wear sunglasses! Protect your eyes with sunglasses that block 99 to 100% of UVA & UVB readiation.

Wear cosmetics and lip protectors with at least an SPF 15 year around. It does require a full teaspoon of the product on your face to provide adequate protection.

Medications, such as antibiotics, can increase your skins sensitivity to the sun.

Children need extra protection. One or two blistering sunburns before the age of 18 dramatically increases the risk of skin cancer. Keep babies younger than 6 months out of the sun. At 6 months, a product formulated for babies may be used, though sun exposure should be minimal.

Things you should know:

Sun coming through your car windows can damage your skin.
Snow and ice can reflect 90% of the sun's rays.
Sand, water and the concrete around pools reflect up to 85% of the sun"s harmful rays into shaded places.
White fabrics also reflects the sun.
A wet T-Shirt lets in alsmost as much light as bare skin.
You can get a sunburn on an overcast day. I know this one is true!