Probably the easiest way to protect your skin from the sun is to slather sunscreen on every exposed part of your skin – but we still forget to do that when stepping out into the sun.
Did you know there are just 30% American women and 14% American men who actually make the effort to put on sunscreen regularly, every time they’re out in the sun?
Exposing your skin to too much sun can lead to grave consequences – skin cancer is one of them. Luckily, there are a number of ways you can make sure your skin has all the precautionary measures to keep it safe from UV damage.
We present the 10 most convenient ways for you to ensure UV safety:
- Use sunscreen on a daily basis, even if it’s too cloudy outside.
- Apply sunscreen (one ounce at least) about 20 to 30 minutes before stepping outside. If you can, purchase SPF 30 lipsticks and lip balms to keep your lips safe.
- Purchase water-resistant sunscreen that is at least SPF 30 and provides protection against a broader UV spectrum (UVA and UVB both). The other sunscreens may prevent your skin from the burn, but may not be enough to bring down the risk of skin cancer.
- Ideally, it is best to reapply your sunscreen after every two hours. If you’re sweating profusely or swimming, you need to reapply it after every hour.
- If you’ve got babies 6 months or younger, make sure they’re properly covered and kept in shade.
- When at the beach, be extra careful. Use hats and sunglasses in addition to sunscreen because the UV rays reflect from the surface of water and sand, making them more damaging to your skin.
- Don’t go out unnecessarily during the 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM time slot. The sun rays are most intense during this time. If you can’t avoid it, find shade wherever you can.
- A wide brimmed hat and a pair of protective sunglasses should be your go to accessories. Choose a hat that covers your face, ears, and neck. For sunglasses, pick the ones with UV absorption lenses.
- Wear loose, airy clothing in lighter hues. Choose softer fabrics. Dark, thick, and fitted clothing increases the risk of heat stroke, sun burn, and dehydration.
- You need to practice extra caution if you’re taking specific medication that makes you overly sensitive to the sun.