Celebrate National Sunscreen Day: 3 Tips for Protecting Your Skin from Sun Damage

protect sundamage

National Sunscreen Day–celebrated on May 27–is just a few days away.

It may seem like a silly holiday, but for over 70 years, sunscreen has been saving lives and protecting people from skin cancer.

For that reason alone, we think National Sunscreen Day is definitely worth celebrating–and we hope you’ll join us!

To get the party started, below are a few tips on how to protect your skin from sun damage.

Keep reading to check out our recommendations…

Sun Protection Tip #1 – Wear Sunscreen

sunscreen on the beach

We thought we’d start with the most obvious and overlooked sun protection tip–wear sunscreen.

Here’s the science behind why it’s so important…

The inorganic chemicals in sunscreen, including minerals such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, block the sun’s harmful rays.

The sunscreen ingredients do this by blocking UV lights the same way white paint reflects light.

When the UV lights are blocked, they can’t penetrate your skin causing burns, cell mutations, or even worse, cancer.

Apply one coat of sunscreen every few hours, and your skin will stay protected.

Tip: The skin on your face is very delicate, so it burns easily. For that reason, don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your face. If you’re worried about putting greasy sunscreen on your face, look for facial sunscreen that’s made specifically for facial skin.

Aside from applying sunscreen, wearing sunglasses and a hat can help protect your skin.

Sun Protection Tip #2 – Wear a Swim Shirt

boy in a swim shirt kissing a dolphin

People often get sunburns while swimming in pools, lakes, or oceans.

There are two reasons this happens.

The first reason is that people feel nice and cool in water so they don’t realize they are starting to burn.

The second reason is that the sun reflects off the water’s surface. These reflective rays increase the skin’s exposure to harmful rays, resulting in sunburns.

The best way to protect against getting burned while in the water is to wear a swim shirt.

These special water-safe shirts can be found in any sporting goods or swimwear store. And, they can cost as little as $20–a worthy investment!

Aside from protecting you from the sun, these shirts are designed to keep you nice and cool.

Look cool and stay cool with a sun shirt!

Sun Protection Tip #3 – Limit Your Time in the Sun

sun umbrella to stay out of the sun

Moderation is key when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun.

You can easily limit your time in the sun by…

  • Going inside for a break every few hours.
  • Sitting under an umbrella while at the beach or lake.
  • Scouting out covered pavilions for outdoor lunch breaks.

We personally recommend that you take a break every 2 hours for optimal protection.

Tip: If you notice your skin starting to turn pink, be sure to put on a cover-up, reapply sunscreen, or take an extended break inside to prevent getting a sunburn.

Aside from following these 3 important sun protection tips, we also recommend that you have a dermatologist check your skin once a year for any unusual bumps, marks, rashes, or moles.

Your doctor will be able to keep an eye on worrisome skin issues and provide you with additional strategies for protecting yourself against skin cancer.

How do you keep your skin safe while in the sun? Share your strategies with us in the comments below!

 

Summer Safety Tips for Kids and Adults

Between swimming, vacations, and being able to spend time enjoying outdoor activities, the summer months are fun for everyone! We certainly hope that you take some time this year to get out and enjoy them with your friends and family.

That being said, the summer months also come with certain risks–sunburns, dehydration, or suffering from an injury while enjoying an outdoor activity.

At The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction, we want your family to stay safe, healthy, and happy. For that reason, we encourage you to check out some of our summer safety tips.

Water Safety

Family time at the pool, beach, lake, or water park should be fun.

Unfortunately, while water activities are a lot of fun, they can also be dangerous. Here are a few ways to ensure you and your loved ones stay safe around water.

Take swimming lessons—Swimming doesn’t come naturally to everyone and it’s certainly a skill that little ones should learn before diving headfirst into a pool, lake, or ocean. Community pools and places like the YMCA often offer swimming lessons. Join a class and brush up on your skills. And if you have kids, this is a great opportunity for them to learn water safety and how to swim.

Wear life jackets–Even the strongest swimmers should wear a life jacket when enjoying water activities such as boating, jet skiing, or tubing. Accidents can happen anytime. And, if for some reason, you ended up injured or exhausted and became unable to swim, a lifejacket would save your life.

Life jackets for small children are also a must…even if you’re just hanging out around the pool deck or dock at the lake. Drowning can occur in a blink of an eye. Protect your little one with a life jacket.

Don’t swim alone—Always enjoy water sports or a dip in the pool, lake, or ocean with a buddy. It’s important to have someone around in case you suddenly need help in the water.

Sun Safety

While the hot sun may feel good on our skin, it unfortunately has the potential to damage skin and even cause cancer.

Here are a few things you can do to keep your skin safe

Apply sunscreen—Anytime you go outside for an extended period of time, be sure to lather up with some sunscreen. If you’re sweaty or have been submersed in water, apply sunscreen more frequently as it can easily wash off—yes, even the waterproof sunscreens!

Wear a hat–Wearing a hat is an easy way to keep your face, scalp, and neck from burning. The skin on your face is particularly delicate, so it’s important to keep it safe and out of direct sunlight.

Limit your time outside—It’s important to take breaks during the day to get out of the sun. Keep watch of how much time you’re spending outside, and be sure to come in for cooldown breaks throughout the day.

Play Safety

There’s nothing better than a day of bike riding, hiking, or playing in the yard. But there are precautions you should take, even in the safety of your own neighborhood to ensure your kids stay safe while at play.

Wear helmets/safety gear—Every year people fall off bikes, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, etc., and end up with broken bones, head injuries, and bumps and bruises. To prevent serious injuries, always hear helmets and other safety gear like knee pads.

Stay hydrated—An intense game of basketball or tag in the hot summer sun is enough to dehydrate you. Make sure you and your kids drink a glass of water every hour or so to stay hydrated and healthy.

Avoid heat stroke—Heat exhaustion can be very serious. Before you end up getting sick or passing out, make sure you take rest breaks in the shade, cool off inside, and drink plenty of water.

Do you have any summer safety tips? Share them in the comments below!