You may not think very much about the sunburns on your shoulders. You may even think you’re getting away with it because it will “fade into a tan,” but unfortunately our skin never forgets and every time you burn, there are long-lasting effects. With summer right around the corner, it’s important to remind yourself of the importance of protecting your skin from sun damage. The world has been participating in self-isolation indoors, with much less daily exposure to the sun so it’s important to be extra cautious this summer when soaking up those intense rays. The sun provides us with essential vitamin d, which promotes a good mood and makes us feel good. But, there are many more negatives to sun exposure than positives. Excessive sun exposure can cause cancer, skin diseases, dry skin, and premature aging…making it extremely important to protect yourself this summer.
How to Protect your skin from the sun
- Sunscreen
The easiest way to protect yourself from the sun is to religiously apply sunscreen. Even when you don’t think you will be in the sun for very long, you should still apply sunscreen. Make sure that your sunscreen is above 30 SPF and that it has both UV and UVB protection. Sunlight isn’t the only thing that causes skin damage, UV rays are also what you should be protected against. On days that you anticipate being out in the sun for long periods of time, remember to re-apply sunscreen every two hours, or after getting wet.
- Avoid or be extra cautious during peak UV hours from 10 am to 3 pm.
The worst hours to be in the sun are also the best tanning hours, for the same reason. The UV rays are so strong that your skin feels the most damage from 10 am to 3 pm. It’s especially important to be careful during these hours and make sure that you are protecting your skin, or staying in the shade.
- Wear a hat or protective clothing
If you are planning on being in the sun for an extended amount of time, wearing a hat or protective clothing can reduce your chances of skin cancer by almost ten times. Doctors suggest wearing a hat with a minimum 2-inch brim for protection. Good thing that one of the cutest accessories you can have at the beach is a fashionable straw brimmed hat.
- Wear sunglasses
The most telling signs of aging are lines around your eyes and mouth. In order to avoid premature aging around your eyes, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. The skin around our eyes is extremely thin and sensitive, so wearing sunglasses helps to protect the skin around your eyes from being damaged by the sun.
- Moisturize lips
The skin on our lips is very thin and therefore experiences more damage than other areas of skin. It’s important to keep lips moisturized in order to avoid lines and chapped lips.
- Stay out of the sun
The most sure way of protecting your skin from the sun and preserving your youthful skin, but probably the least enjoyable is staying out of the sun completely. Even though this can be difficult, just be aware of the times you are unnecessarily exposing your skin to the sun.