Fun in the Sun

Fun in the Sun - How to Stay Safe and HealthyBy Stacy Richford

The sun's rays reflect off a wide variety of different surfaces; even off things such as cement and snow. The sun's UV rays are prevalent even when it is cloudy outside. Keeping these factors in mind, one of the most sure fire way's in maintaining maximum protection from the sun's rays is to make a regular habit out of applying sun screen whenever venturing outdoors. Be sure to reapply it as often as necessary to keep a consistent level of protection throughout the day.
Make sure when applying a sun screen product you carefully read the manufactures instructions in order to get the maximum protection from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Take note of the SPF (sun protection factor) when choosing a sun screen for your skin type. SPF is the primary indicator of how much protection a particular product will provide. It's important to remember that no product will work if you forget to actually apply it to your skin whenever you go outside. This is fairly common of people even when they are carrying sun screen with them all the time.
Sun protection – more than just skin deep
Not all sun protection products are formulated to protect all of your body parts. Some are ideal at protecting the skin, but how about protecting your lips or what about your eyes and hair? The sun can be extremely harmful to the eyes and can cause serious damage when unprotected. This has also been linked with the formation of cataracts.
Our lips are extremely fragile and delicate and they will burn easily if you do not take precautions to protect them from the sun. When our lips are chapped and dry, they don't look appealing nor do they feel good. Using a zinc based product will offer a maximum level of protection. If using Lipsticks, Lip balms, and conditioners make sure they have a minimum SPF of at least 15.
The sun can also damage hair. We often do not realize this or we take it for granted because we don't 'feel' its effects immediately. But we sure can see them. Our hair can become dull, dry and frizzy. Most people think this only happens from excess chemical processing.
Other forms of sun protection
You don't always have to use sun protection that comes in a bottle. Wearing protective clothing such as hats and sunglasses can play just as a significant role in blocking damaging ultraviolet rays. Another simple solution that doesn't require much effort is to seek shaded areas when outside wherever possible. So let's go over some of the different ways we can protect ourselves while in the sun.
Wide brim hats will protect our hair, our face, the tips of our ears and deflect some of the rays hitting out eyes. Wide brim hats not only offer the most protection but actually help us keep cool as well. A good pair of sunglasses are a necessity when spending time outdoors. Make sure when selecting a pair of sunglasses that the label explicitly states that the lenses used are designed to offer maximum UV protection. If they don't state this fact then they'll be useless for our protective needs. A common rule of thumb is that the bigger the lens, the more overall sun protection you are receiving. Sunglasses that Wrap around your head offer the most potential protection because they even block any rays from making contact with your eyes from the sides of your head.
It is becoming a common practice for clothing manufacturers to produce a protective clothing line with inherent UPF and ultraviolet protection. This type of clothing is primarily designed for people who spend large amounts of time outdoors. Such as avid hikers, fishers, golfers, kayakers and many other outdoor enthusiast. These clothes provide the ideal balance between style and functionality. You can find protective outer wear for any member of your family, even the little ones. If your on a tight budget or can't find any clothing with UPF, another option would be to wear tightly woven fabrics and dark colors. These are also quite effective at reducing your exposure to the sun's harmful rays. A small factoid is that clothes that are dry block out more UV rays than those that are wet. Obviously, the combination of long sleeves and full length pants will offer maximum protection, but this isn't really practical since who wants to wear that much clothing when it's sunny outside?
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