Getting Serious About Sun Safety

Sun Safety means wearing sunblock every day, but is it THE key to protection from UV damage and possibly skin cancer? Yes and No. We spend a lot of time in the sunshine-- we just love being outdoors basking in it's warmth and brilliance, enjoying fresh air and life!

If only we could have our childhood skin..........

We slather on our SPF 30, and off we go.... sometimes forgetting that we can get a false sense of security; after all, sunblocks work for only a limited amount of time and need to be reapplied often! Kids especially need to be careful, and adhere to sun safety rules every day of their lives.

i LOVE this quote from Andrea Cambio, M.D., a pediatric and adult dermatologist in New York City -- "Wearing sunscreen doesn't make it safe for you to stay out in the sun all day, just like wearing a seat belt doesn't make it safe for you to drive 100 miles per hour."

Remember, applying sunblock FIRST thing in the morning is very important; it takes about 20 minutes for the sun safety factors in SPF to do their work, and it's important to get the protective layer on BEFORE going out into the sunshine.

Ah, Siesta Time!! Were all those cultures really avoiding the damaging UV rays of the sun in the middle of the day? BEST to avoid being outdoors between approximately 10am and 3pm when those UV rays are the most damaging!!

Wearing Sun Safety clothing is another great way to stay protected. Most fabrics let a lot of the sun's harmful UV rays. Be sure to look for clothes made with at least Ultraviolet-Protection Factor UPF 50 (meaning that just 1/50th of all UV rays can get through to your skin, or about 2%.)

REMEMBER TO PROTECT YOUR PRECIOUS VISION AS WELL!!

Where would we be if we could not see the Glorious World we have been given? Granted, those with impaired vision fulfill their lives through the other senses, which become greatly enhanced.

The Blessing of excellent vision MUST be protected! Over time, exposure to UV rays can cause cataracts, macular degeneration, corneal sunburn, and pterygium, where growths can cover the white of the eye and eventually block vision. My neighbor had this condition, and thankfully surgery gave back his excellent vision!!!!!!!

And what are we to do when our great sunglasses don't have bifocal reading glasses?? MAKE YOUR OWN with these Stick On Magnifications!

And how about that GREAT SUN HAT? Here are a few suggestions for you.

Cathy has some great tips for staying safe in the sun!

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