BE SUN SMART
One of the single most important things you can do to stay well this summer is to be careful in the sun. You will be well aware of the dangers of skin cancer by now, but some of us can still be complacent about the damage the sun can do.
• SunSmart recommends using a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least
30. Apply it 20 minutes before going out in the sun and follow that up with a second coat when you have been outside for 10 to 20 minutes. This not only gives you a thicker, more protective layer, but helps you to cover areas you may have missed with the first application.
• As a guide, apply about one teaspoon of sunscreen to your face, ears and neck, and one teaspoon each to your limbs, the front of your body and the back of your body.
• Don’t forget about areas that could become exposed if your clothing moves – your forearms if you roll your sleeves up, your knees and upper legs if a skirt rides up while sitting, or your shoulder if your handbag tends to pull your top down a little, uncovering your skin.
• SunSmart recommends reapplying your sunscreen every two hours, even if it’s waterproof and says it only needs to be reapplied every four hours. Also put more on after swimming or sweating.
• Ditch your sunscreen if it has passed its expiry date.
• Store your sunscreen according to the rules on the bottle. Don’t leave it in the sunlight – for example, on a window ledge – or in a place where it can warm up quickly, such as the glove box in your car.
• Remember, no sunscreen is 100% effective. As well as using it, cover up with hats and clothing, seek the shade and cut down the time you spend outside in the hottest hours of the day – 10am to 4pm.
• Don’t forget your sunnies! Sunglasses can protect your eyes from damaging UV rays, which can cause melanoma in the eye and contribute to conditions that can cause vision impairment, such as certain types of cataracts and possibly macular degeneration. Look for sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays.