Protecting our skin from the sun is very important because the harmful rays of the sun can cause damage to our skin, eyes, immune system and can even cause skin cancer. Too much sun exposure can also make you sick. Not all sunburns are dangerous, some of them fade away with time, but some of them can make your entire body react and can cause nausea, headaches, vomiting and fever. To protect yourself from getting sick, use these steps mentioned below:
How to protect yourself:
- Sunscreen plays a very large role in protecting your skin from getting exposed to the sun. You should apply your sunscreen everyday, even when it is not sunny outside. Choose a cream which has SPF higher than 20 or it should be at least 30, and apply it 20 minutes before stepping outside. There are also some lip balms available in the market which has sun protection factors in it.
- Accessorize yourself with a hat which covers your face, neck and ears also wear sunglasses whenever you are going out in the sun to avoid eye damage. Wear long sleeves and long pants with tightly woven fabric because it blocks more sun.
- Avoid spending much time outside between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM because this is the time when sun rays are the most intense and can cause severe damage. Babies younger than six months should be covered completely or keep them somewhere in shade when taken outside.
- Water and sand can reflect the damaging rays of the sun and you might end up getting a sunburn, so be extra careful while around and it’s recommended for you to put on extra sun protection.
- If you are on some kind of medication, then be more cautious because this can make you more sensitive to the sun.
- If you have spent more than 2 hours in the sun, make sure to reapply your sunscreen because it wears off.
- Always find some shelter under an umbrella, tree, etc. which can provide shelter and wear protective clothing.
- Some makeup and lip balms also contain sunscreen. Before purchasing a makeup product be sure to check whether it has SPF or not. If the product has SPF of more than 15, then you can use that product without applying any sunscreen first, but if it has no SPF then, it is advisable that you apply your sunscreen on your face before applying any makeup on
- Make sure that the sunscreen you apply is water resistant and can provide protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. UVA rays can lead to premature skin aging, wrinkles and UVB rays can cause skin cancer as they can burn the top most skin layers. Whereas the UVA rays penetrate deep down into the skin’s thickest layers and can cause skin issues.
However, the sun also gives us vitamin D which is an essential for our body. To safely get that, expose your body to sunlight during midday. Thirteen minutes of sunlight exposure, 3 times per week can be enough. Don’t forget to use your sun protection factor!
