By Emily Miller
With winter finally coming to a close, the spring vacations we may have planned during the cold winter months are right around the corner. When you return from your spring vacation, you will most likely bring back souvenirs, photos and lots of good memories.
Unfortunately, your spring break vacation may also include bad memories of sunburn or even sun poisoning. But, with proper preparations and safety tips, you can prevent the pain and misery of getting burned or sick from the sun.
It is important to point out that skin cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancers and effects about 3.5 million Americans every year. This works out to about one in five Americans who will develop some form of skin cancer in their lifetime, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Taking precautionary steps while you’re younger will not only increase your longevity but will also qualify you for lower life and health increase premiums.
The following tips will protect your skin from the harmful effects of over sun exposure, so you can fully enjoy your spring break vacation.
Don’t fall for the “Base Tan” myth.
The temptation for getting a base tan from your local tanning salon is extremely high because most people believe that a base tan will protect their skin from burning. However, this myth is not true and could even do more damage to your skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, tanning bed users are 74 percentage more likely to develop melanoma than non-users.
Simple rules applying sunscreen
In order to benefit the most from your sunscreen, it is recommended to apply it at least 30 minutes prior to going outside. It is also recommended to re-apply at least every two hours, including water resistant sunscreen. The more active you are while outside, the more important it is to re-apply.
Sunscreen should also be applied regardless of the weather conditions. As it is a common misconception that you can skip the sunscreen on days where it is overcast. However, this is not true and in fact between 50 and 80 percent of UV rays can still penetrate through the clouds.
Sunscreen coverage
When applying sunscreen be cautious of commonly missed places – such as the small of your back, back of the knees, earlobes, tops of the feet and back of the neck. A rule of thumb is that an ounce of sunscreen should be plenty to cover your entire body.
You should also protect your eyes and lips from the sun as over exposure could lead to long-term damage. For your eyes, it is recommended to wear sunglasses with UV filters. For your lips, it is recommended to regularly apply lip blame with an SPF of 30 or more. Just like sunscreen, you should re-apply every two hours.
