It’s time for board shorts and bikinis (I prefer a one piece!), which also means that it’s time for sunblock. However, is a little sunblock applied once enough to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays? Is that itsy bitsy teeny weeny polka dot bikini really the smartest thing to wear just because it’s fashionable? What comes first: health or fashion? The good news is, you can still be protected from the sun and have fun at the same time!
Here are some quick and easy tips on protecting your skin from the sun.
Facts on Skin Damage
Many people strive to get that “perfect” tan like the celebrities they admire, but even tanned skin is damaged skin. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it takes as little as 15 minutes for the sun’s harmful rays to begin doing damage to a person’s skin. However, don’t be fooled, it takes up to 12 hours for the effects of the damage to show itself.
Even cloudy days can cause harmful damage to a person’s skin which can lead to wrinkles, leathering of the skin, freckling, and various kinds of skin cancers. Don’t assume that it’s safe to go outside on a cloudy day without sunblock because the clouds merely filter the sun’s rays – they do not block them.
Understanding Sunscreen
Sometimes it’s difficult to know what kind of sunscreen to get, which Sun Protection Factor (SPF) number to buy, how much to put on, and how many times to put it on. There are so many options: sprays, lotions, creams and the like in the store that it can be quite daunting.
Here are some easy tips for choosing and applying sunscreen: (1) Generally speaking, a person should use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher; (2) Apply one ounce (about a shot glass full) per application; (3) Apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to sun exposure; (4) Reapply the same amount (one ounce) every two hours (5) Reapply after swimming, toweling, or sweating off previous applications.
Clothing Tips
Instead of being bikini clad the entire time on the beach, here are some alternatives that are just as fashionable, but will also protect one’s skin from the sun: sarongs, long sleeved shirts, and pants with a label that says it has an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of at least 45. This means that the fabric only allows in 1/45th of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Another fashionable and skin protecting statement is a wide brimmed hat, ideally, one that extends three inches all the way around to protect the wearer’s shoulders and neck, as well as the head. Options in this category would be a bucket hat, tightly woven straw hat, or an outback hat.
One cannot go to the beach without their sunglasses, but are they wearing the correct kind of sunglasses? The ideal pair of sunglasses will block out 99-100% of the harmful UV rays that come from the sun. The ideal kind of sunglasses to wear would be oversized and wrap around shades, which would help prevent the sun from getting in at the temples, thus protecting a person’s eyes from all angles.
Now that summer has started and the beaches are beginning to get packed, people need to stop and think for a moment about skin protection. Application of sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to sun exposure is important.
Remember, it’s also important to reapply at least one ounce of sunscreen every two hours and to wear protective clothing and accessories when sun exposure is unnecessary.
So, the bottom line is, be safe and wear your sunscreen. It’ll benefit you in the long run. But don’t fret, you can still be fashionable and protect your skin at the same time.
You can read more from Kimberly on her blog Mom in the Go Lane or on IG @mominthegolane