Summer is finally here! Actually its not officially summer until the 21st, but we can agree that we have already experienced those hot summer days, right? Well, with summer in mind here are a few tips to be mindful of this year.
It's always wise to choose more than one way to cover up when you're in the sun. Wear sunglasses, hang out in the shade, and use sunscreen. It is also important to know what to look for when choosing sunscreen Our Pharmacy Director, Jeannie Batson, RPh, has some helpful tips for us:
- Choose a sunscreen with a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15 or higher. What SPF means is, if your skin would normally burn after 10 minutes of sun exposure then applying a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would in theory extend that time to 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) or 15 times longer. Now this is based on studies done in a controlled environment where a thick application of sunscreen isn’t washed away in minutes by sweating or jumping into the pool. Let’s be honest, most of us slap on the sunscreen and don’t really pay that much attention to the application process. I’ve had many sunburns where you can clearly see the perfect imprint of my fingers across my abdomen because I didn’t apply the sunscreen evenly. What is important about this is that a person should apply a liberal amount of sunscreen and reapply it often.
- Avoid products that contain PABA (Para-Amino-Benzoic-Acid) because many people are sensitive to this ingredient which can cause skin irritation and burning.
- Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide containing products provide the most protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
- Remember to reapply the sunscreen often because swimming or sweating will wash the sunscreen off. I can’t stress enough how important it is to reapply, reapply, reapply!!!
- Check with your pharmacist or doctor if you are taking any antibiotics or heart or blood pressure medications because many of these can make all skin-types more sensitive to burning.
- And most importantly there is no safe tan. All exposure to UV rays causes some degree of skin damage. The best way to protect our skin from UV damage is to avoid it. Wear UV protective clothing and shield skin from direct sunlight. And ALWAYS wear a sunscreen!
Disclaimer: The health content is provided for informational and educational purposes. It is intended for the general population and may not reflect specific conditions or risk of an individual or segment of the population. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, consultation, treatment or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with questions. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of information obtained through these services.