It’s summertime, and everyone wants to have fun in the sun! Unfortunately, that means you risk getting another dreaded sunburn. Sunburn not only causes physical discomfort and cosmetic blemishes, there are severe health risks associated with it as well. Frequent, severe sunburns contribute to the development of skin cancer, and studies have shown that an individual’s risk for skin cancer can double if he or she has experienced more than five sunburns. The best way to combat sunburn is to take preventative measures against it: Avoid being in direct, harsh sunlight, especially for prolonged periods of time. The sun is strongest between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, so if you are outdoors during these hours, try to stay in the shade when possible. Wear sunscreen–lots of it. Daily use of a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher is shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer, as well as slow down skin aging. Be sure to apply sunscreen generously and frequently to any exposed part of your body. Most people only use about 1/4th of the necessary amount to properly protect the skin. Wear protective clothing to cover your skin from the sun. For example: hats, sunglasses, long sleeves and pants can all block out the sun’s harmful rays. Sometimes these measures might not be enough, or you might forget to apply sunscreen. Maybe your skin burns particularly easily. Maybe you fall asleep on the beach and forget to reapply sunscreen in time. Sunburn happens, but you can treat it by keeping your body Read More >>
