Skin Health: How To Help Your Skin in Sunny Summer Months
Your skin is the biggest organ in your body! Take good care of your skin this summer, as the sun will be out and the world is slowly opening back up. You can make many small changes to make this summer that can have a significant impact on your skin. What Am I Protecting My […]
Your skin is the biggest organ in your body! Take good care of your skin this summer, as the sun will be out and the world is slowly opening back up. You can make many small changes to make this summer that can have a significant impact on your skin.
What Am I Protecting My Skin From?
Ultraviolet (UV) rays trapped beneath Earth’s ozone layer are often responsible for skin cancer in humans. UV rays occur naturally, but due to climate change, more are entering our atmosphere. As humans are further exposed to UV rays, we develop adverse effects from the sun, such as sunburn and skin cancer.There are two different types of UV rays, UVA and UVB. UVB rays penetrate the top layer of skin, while UVA rays penetrate even deeper through two layers of skin, potentially causing even more harm.Skin and Body Health in the Sun
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests several ways to keep yourself healthy and protected from harmful UV rays:- Wear protective clothing and sunglasses. Wear a hat, light shirt, and other proper clothing to cover your skin while you enjoy the outdoors. Make sure your sunglasses have 100% UV protection, allowing you to see and block UVA and UVB rays.
- Apply sunscreen regularly. NIH recommends using sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher for the most effective protection. Also, make sure that your sunscreen blocks UVA and UVB rays. Many sunscreens only block UVB rays, so try to find one that blocks both.
- Avoid hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is the overheating of a person’s body, which is most dangerous and prevalent in older adults. Small children may succumb to hyperthermia as well. Signs of hyperthermia include headache, nausea, muscle spasms, dizziness, and fatigue. If you suspect that someone is suffering from hyperthermia, get them to a cool and shaded area immediately. You can avoid hyperthermia by doing outdoor activities in the early morning or evening rather than peak sun hours.
- Exercise in air-conditioned areas or pools, or at least avoid late morning and afternoon hours to avoid sweating away your sunscreen and getting burned or suffering from hyperthermia.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your skin moist and body temperature cool, which can help prevent sunburn and hyperthermia.
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are great for your skin. They also tend to be plentiful in the summertime, so check your local grocery store or farmers market today.
