During the summer
months, the sun can be intense enough
to burn your skin between the hours
of 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. The reflection
of the sun off of the ocean and light
colored sand can exaggerate this effect
even more. Overexposure to the sun
may result in skin cancer later in
life. Learn the facts about exposure
to the sun's UV rays.
Dangers of UV
Exposure
•
You can
sunburn even on a cloudy
day!
•
On average, children
spend 3 times more time
in the sun than adults!
•
Concrete, sand, water,
and snow reflect 85% to
90% of the sun's UV rays.
•
Depletion of Earth's
ozone continues to increase
your exposure to UV rays!
•
More than 1 million
new cases of skin cancer
are diagnosed each year
in the US!
•
Every 5 minutes another
women is diagnosed with
skin cancer.
•
Skin cancer is increasing
at a faster rate than
any other cancer.
•
Every sunburn increases
a child's chance of getting
skin cancer as an adult.
Tips to Preventing
Sunburns
•
Avoid sun exposure
during the hottest hours of
the sun’s rays.
•
Apply sunscreen with a SPF
(Sun Protection Factor) of at
least 15, paying special attention
to the face, nose, ears and
shoulders.
•
Wear a hat.
•
Wear sunglasses with UV (Ultraviolet)
Protection.
•
Drink plenty of water and
non-carbonated drinks, even
if you do not feel thirsty.
•
Some common areas people
forget to apply sun screen to
are:
Tops of feet - (if your walking
along the beach this area will
burn!).
Ears - just like washing, don't
forget behind the ears.
Backs of the knees - when you're
laying on your stomach, this
thin-skinned area is particularly
vulnerable and can be very painful
when burned.
•
Some perfumes, colognes,
deodorants and antiperspirants
applied to the skin can cause
a rash in combination with sun
exposure.
•
It is equally important to
reapply sunscreen after you
have gone in the water or toweled
off.
•
Whenever possible, wear a
shirt or some kind of clothing
to minimize your sun exposure.
•
Umbrellas or other sunshades
are great devices for staying
out of direct sunlight, and
will also help keep you cool.
