Sun Safety Tips

It is officially summer and time to start planning your beach vacation, weekend lake getaways and countless days at the pool. You deserve this time to relax and take in the season, but do not let your guard down when it comes to your skins health.

Most kids get much of their lifetime sun exposure before age 18, so it's important for parents to teach them how to enjoy fun in the sun safely. Taking the right precautions can greatly reduce your child's chance of developing skin cancer.

In an effort to help reduce the startling spike of skin cancer due to overexposure from the sun, we have listed sun safety tips below, which you and your family should practice whenever you are outdoors.

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF 15 or greater. The level of SPF indicates the length of time you will be protected from UVB rays, compared to the time it would take for you to sunburn without protection. So if your skin would normally redden in 20 minutes, sunscreen with an SPF of 15 will protect you 15 times longer, or for 5 hours.

• Look for a product that provides both UVA and UVB protection. Sunscreens should include at least one of the following ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone.

• Wear sunscreen all year long. Harmful rays are always present, even on cloudy or snowy days.

• Apply sunscreen liberally at least 30 minutes before your exposure to the sun. Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming.

• Always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes, especially while you are near a body of water as UV rays reflect up off the water's surface.

• Wearing a SPF lip balm helps prevent skin cancers and pre-cancers which occur frequently in the lip, an area often forgot about when applying skin protection.

• Pre-wash bathing suits in Rit Sunguard. This provides more SPF without the extra application.

• Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when exposure to ultraviolet light is highest.

It doesn't take much time in the sun for most people to get the vitamin D they need. And repeated unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and skin cancer. Even people in their twenties can develop skin cancer.

Moderate exposure to the sun can be good for you, as long as it provides your body with vitamin D, but too much can and will cause damage. The sun emits ultraviolet (UV) rays, which penetrate your skin. A sunburn results when exposure is more than your body's protective pigment (melanin) can handle. UVB rays are the most harmful and are the main cause of sunburn and skin cancer. 

Going on vacation and being outdoors should be fun and relaxing, but a painful sunburn can quickly end a good time. With the right preparations, you can help prevent skin issues from arising and enjoy beautiful skin and beautiful days!    

Here at Westwind Airport Valet we strive to provide our clients with safe and convenient travel arrangements. For your next trip, let us take care of you and your vehicle so you can relax while you are gone. Contact us today for more information and make your reservation to Ride The Wave! 

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