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By Sheldon Riklon, M.D.
The summer season months are nice for spending time exterior. You can discover loads of bodily exercise alternatives like swimming, biking, or enjoying sports activities, and being exterior may also help to scale back stress. But it’s necessary to recollect to remain secure if you find yourself out within the solar.
The solar emits ultraviolet (UV) rays, that are a type of radiation that may injury pores and skin cells. Even on cloudy or cool days, these rays can mirror off surfaces like water, sand or concrete and improve UV publicity.
Too a lot publicity to UV rays is likely one of the primary causes of pores and skin most cancers, the commonest kind of most cancers within the U.S. However, there are steps you may take to benefit from the solar, whereas defending your pores and skin from dangerous UV rays.
- Use Sunscreen Properly
- Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects towards UV rays and has an SPF (solar safety issue) of 15 or increased. If you’re going to be outside for an prolonged time, use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or increased.
- Reapply sunscreen each two hours and at all times after swimming, sweating or drying off with a towel.
- Remember, infants beneath 6 months mustn’t use sunscreen. If you do should be exterior together with your toddler, maintain them within the shade and wearing protecting clothes.
- Seek Shade
- When doable, keep beneath umbrellas, timber or canopies, particularly through the noon hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when the solar’s rays are the strongest.
- Wear Protective Clothing
- Long-sleeved shirts and lengthy pants produced from tightly woven material supply the perfect safety, particularly for individuals who work exterior.
- Also, select a hat with a large brim to guard your face, ears and neck as a result of these areas are probably the most susceptible to sunburn.
- Protect Your Eyes
- UV rays can injury your eyes and improve your threat of cataracts. Wear sun shades that block 100% of UV rays to guard your eyes.
- Stay Hydrated
- The solar and warmth can shortly result in dehydration, particularly when working exterior or doing bodily exercise, so drink loads of water earlier than, throughout and after being exterior, even for those who don’t really feel thirsty. To make issues simpler, carry a reusable water bottle with you to refill frequently all through your day.
- Avoid alcohol or caffeinated drinks, like espresso or power drinks, as a result of they’ll dehydrate your physique faster, particularly if you find yourself within the solar.
While being outside helps each bodily and psychological well-being, taking just a few further steps to guard your pores and skin, eyes and physique can forestall long-term well being issues. For extra solar security suggestions, go to cdc.gov.
Sheldon Riklon, M.D., is a professor within the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and a co-investigator with the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation.