Sun Protection Information

 We've all been told how important sun protection is because of the damage that the sun can cause your skin. No news there.  However the problem is staying out of the sun when we love being outdoors.

Sun protection isn't just for some people, it's for everyone.  Protection from the sun's damaging rays is important for anyone who wants to grow old gracefully. It's also an absolute must for anyone who wants to substantially limit their risk of developing skin cancer.

People are finally realizing that although sunshine is a big part of most outdoor activities and a great mood enhancer, excessive exposure can lead to problems and discomfort.  A painful sunburn is the most immediate consequence of excess exposure. Long term excess exposure can damage the skin making it prone to wrinkling and worse, the development of skin cancer.

When do you need sun protection?

Doctors will tell you that sun protection is needed all the time and they're right, but realistically however it's important anytime you'll be outdoors between the hours of 10:00 am and 3:00 pm, when the sun is at its highest.

Most people don't realize that they can still burn even though the sun isn't shining. Overcast days are some of the worst times for being in the sun unprotected. That's because the ultraviolet rays can reflect off certain surfaces. For example, you need protection from the sun when in the snow, when in the water, when lying or playing on the sand and even when on a cement or grass surface.

Understanding UV rays

Ultraviolet rays are the different wavelengths of energy that are produced by the sun. Even though harmful, the sun's energy is necessary to all human life. Fortunately, as life on earth has evolved so has the capacity to tolerate UV rays. The most important protection against the damaging ultraviolet rays is the ozone layer - a layer in the stratosphere that absorbs most of the various types of UV rays before they reach the earth's surface.

Most of this radiation or energy from the sun is invisible to the naked eye. The fact that the radiation is mostly invisible is likely the reason why the sun can be so harmful. It's hard to convince a person to protect against something that can't be seen. Of the ultraviolet rays, the two that are responsible for skin damage are UVA and UVB rays. The sun also generates UVC rays, but fortunately these extremely damaging rays cannot penetrate the ozone layer and therefore pose no threat to humans.

The longer and more prevalent of the two, UVA rays are responsible for long-term skin damage because they absorb deep into the skin. Their strength remains uniform regardless of the time of day or time of year. UVB rays are shorter and are what causes skin to tan or sunburns. Our bodies need UVB rays to produce Vitamin D, an important vitamin. Their strength varies based on time of day, time of year, altitude and also distance from the equator.

The UV Index is a scale measuring from 0 – 11 (low to extreme) and it's used to determine the intensity of the sun's radiation, particularly the likelihood that skin will or will not redden when exposed to the sun for various periods of time.

If you love the outdoors be conscientious about protecting your skin.  Wear a hat, use SPF 30 sunscreen taking care to use extra protection near snow and water.

Keep kids protected, especially if they swim a lot or are playing sports.

Do Tanning beds cause skin cancer? Tanning beds emit ultraviolet UV light too causing wrinkles and skin cancer. 

In Summary...

If you like the look of a golden tan consider using a sunless self-tanning product.  But remember to always use sunscreen as artificial tanning products don't usually have a sunscreen.

Check yourself over regularly for any signs of skin Cancer.  This means any signs that your skin is changing or the appearance of growths or bleeding.  Skin cancer is very treatable today so you should check with your doctor immediately.

Repairing sun damaged skin - Find out which sun damage remedies might be right for you.

Effects of sun exposure - The effects of sun exposure and how to avoid them.

Sun burn remedies - Easy, natural sun burn remedies for fast relief.

Sunless tanning - Getting The Most out of Sunless Home Tanning Products