Many African-Americans think that they do not need to worry about sun protection since they tend to not immediately feel the effects of sun damage like people with less melanin do. The truth is that we must protect ourselves just as much while soaking up those rays and here’s how you do it:
1. The first important thing to do to prevent sunburn is to wear protection against the harmful UV light of the sun. Wear waterproof sunscreen on the body and any exposed areas if you are going to the beach, swimming in the pool or lake. Remember to replenish and reapply the sunscreen often throughout the day. Don’t forget to apply sun protection to areas like behind the ears, the back of the arms, and other “hard-to-reach” areas.
2. Wear protective clothing especially SPF clothes which can be bought at specialty store or order online at many online businesses selling SPF protective clothing.
3. Wear large broad brim hats to cover the scalp, face, and head from sun’s harmful UV rays. It is also a good idea to carry some shade with you like an umbrella, especially for the elderly and the pediatric age groups as well as individuals on medication. These groups of people are more sensitive and have lower tolerance to long exposure to the sun’s heat and will become dehydrated faster.
4. Some prescription medication increases your sensitivity to direct sunlight so be informed and educated when you are on medications and find out before going out into the sun if this can happen. Ask your doctor or your local pharmacist and read the labels and instructions on the back of the prescription bottle.
5. DO NOT expose young infants and babies under 6 months of age in direct sunlight. Always cover the young infant with protective clothing and sun hat and carry some portable shade. It is also not recommended to apply sunscreen protection on babies as their skin are very sensitive to the chemicals that are in most of these products. Use specially pediatric formulated lotions to protect against dryness of the skin. Remember to hydrate the infant often with pediatric formulated fluids or water throughout the day if you are planing a family day out in the summer sun. There are many types and varieties of products in the stores that sell water with electrolytes added to it.
6. Remember that even in the car one can get a sunburn. There are certain precautions and protective measures to take to decrease the risk of this happening especially if you have young family members and babies. Taking long trips in the car can expose the infants and children to the UV light that penetrates the windows. One thing to do is to have the windows tinted and UV protected. This will decrease the intensity and amount of UV light entering the car. If your car does not have tinted windows there are cheaper and temporary ways to give protection. One way is to place a towel or small sheet on to the window or you can purchase UV light window shields at most children’s specialty stores that have sticky backs on them to enable it to be removed easily after use from the window. It is better to use the car air-conditioning rather than rolling down the window if you are traveling long distances and for many hours in the car. Also remember the sunroof and convertible cars will expose the people in the car to the direct sunlight so wear sunscreen protection before going out on a long excursion or car journey on a hot sunny day.
7. Another way to stay save in the sun is to periodically move into a shady area to allow your body temperature to cool down and also to prevent the risk of sunburn to your skin. Drinking plenty of water is advisable. Avoid certain hours and times during the day , for example, the midday sun is usually the hottest time of the day and the sun at its maximum intensity. Try to schedule your outings and trips to the early hours or late afternoon periods in the day especially if you have young babies and children, or elderly, or have people on prescription medication.
8. Find a pair of sunglasses that will give you UV protection so you can reduce the risk of burning your retina or cornea or even burning the eyelids. There are many variety of styles and shapes available but it is better to get advice with an optician or ophthalmologist when purchasing a good pair of eye protection. Remember, also , if you wear contact lenses you will probably be at more risk to getting dry eyes and eye problems if you don’t wear eye protection when out in he direct sunlight. Carry plenty of eye solution with you when planning a day out in the sun.
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