Healthy Habit for August

Sun Safety

It is so much fun to be outside during the summer and fall seasons. It’s also reassuring to know that the sun will give you Vitamin D which creates strong bones, not to mention a tan…

However, there are definitely some things to be aware of so that you can have a fun and safe time!

• Too much sun can be harmful!
• Avoid being the in the sun during the hottest part of the day (10am-3pm).
• Avoiding too much sun can help you…reduce signs of aging, help your immune system, enhance your memory, help your heart, & reduce risks of cancer
• Even people in their 20’s can get cancer.
• If you can put your hand inside your shirt and see your hand, sun can also penetrate through.
• Apply a good amount of sunscreen about 30 minutes before getting in the sun.
• Don’t try to make one bottle last the whole summer, use a generous amount.
• Reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hrs; apply every 2 hours if you are fair-skinned.
• Wear sunglasses because your eyes can get sunburned too.
• Make sure your sunglasses provide 100% UV protection.
• Check your medications; some can have bad side affects when combined with sun exposure.

If you still get sunburned, here are some helpful tips:

• Do not peel off burned skin; it could cause infection.
• Get in the shade!
• Take a cool (not cold) bath and continue to apply cool, wet compresses to help reduce heat and pain.
• Apply pure aloe vera gel; it relieves the pain and helps sunburn heal faster
• If there is swelling, you can apply a topical moisturizing cream such as hydrocortisone cream to reduce inflammation and rehydrate the skin.
• Take a pain reliever such as Ibuprofen.
• If there are severe blisters, a high fever, the sunburned skin looks infected, nausea, vomiting, fainting, delirium, diarrhea, or having a difficult time looking at the light, call your doctor.

KidsHealth.org