Safe in the Sun
If you’ve been out in the hot sun this summer, your skin may have turned red or brown where the sun’s rays touched it. Sunshine helps our bodies produce vitamin D, and experts say sunlight makes our moods happier.
But exposure to the sun’s rays can also damage our skin and cause some health problems. This week, The Mini Page learns more about being safe in the sun.
What is UV light?
Ultraviolet, or UV, radiation comes from the sun. Our eyes can’t see this light, but these are the rays that can burn our skin when we’re in the sun too long.
There are several types of UV radiation, but only UVA and UVB rays reach the surface of the Earth.
Have you ever heard someone announce the UV Index on the news or weather report? The index is a prediction of the intensity level of UV light in a certain region.
For example, if it’s cloudy in your city today, the UV Index will be lower than in another town where the sun is shining.
The UV Index is a scale from 1 to 11+, where 1 represents a slight risk of too much exposure to the sun, and 11+ tells us that the risk is very high.
Skin and sun
Exposure to UV light is the biggest risk factor for skin cancer. But we can easily prevent damage to our skin from the sun and lower our chances of getting skin cancer.
Researchers believe that getting sunburns in childhood increases a person’s risk of having skin cancer. So it’s important to take care of your skin now and throughout your life.
Staying safe
Even though we think of summer as the sunniest time of the year, the sun’s rays strike us all year long. If you plan to be out in the sun for any length of time, use sunscreen.
People who need to be even more careful about sun exposure are those who have:
• pale skin
• blond, red or light brown hair
• a family member who has had skin cancer. But skin protection is important for everyone. The Environmental Protection Agency advises people to:
• Wear clothing that covers the skin — longsleeved shirts, pants and broad-brimmed hats.
• Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours.
• Wear sunglasses. A groundbreaking justice