UV Awareness Month

While it feels good being outdoors, we have to acknowledge the fact that it’s not all glitter and gold. Too much sun has its own disadvantages – its ultraviolet light can destroy us faster than we know. That is why the month of July was set as Ultraviolet Awareness month. We all love to take in those warm summer rays, but everyone must remember to protect their skin and eyes from the damaging effects of the sun.

What are UV rays?

The sun emits radiation known as UVA and UVB rays. Both types can damage your eyes and skin:

UV-B rays have short wavelengths that reach the outer layer of your skin.
UV-A rays have longer wavelengths that can penetrate the middle layer of your skin

By learning the risks associated with too much sun exposure and taking the right precautions to protect you and your family from UV rays, everyone can enjoy the sun and outdoors safely.

What happens when you don’t protect yourself from the sun?

The need to protect your skin from the sun has become very clear over the years, supported by several studies linking overexposure to the sun with skin cancer. The harmful ultraviolet rays from both the sun and indoor tanning “sunlamps” can cause many other complications besides skin cancer - such as eye problems, a weakened immune system, age spots, wrinkles, and leathery skin. Here are some of the most harmful things unprotected sun exposure can do:

Cause vision problems and damage to your eyes
Suppression of the immune system
Premature aging of the skin
Skin cancer

How to protect yourself

There are simple, everyday steps you can take to safeguard your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation from the sun.

Wear proper clothing: Wearing clothing that will protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays is very important.
Protective clothing are long-sleeved shirts and pants are good examples. Also, remember to protect your head and eyes with a hat and UV-resistant sunglasses. You can fall victim to sun damage on a cloudy day as well as in the winter, so dress accordingly all year round.
Avoid the burn: Sunburns significantly increase one's lifetime risk of developing skin cancer.
It is especially important that children be kept from sunburns as well. Go for the shade Stay out of the sun, if possible, between the peak burning hours, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can head for the shade, or make your own shade with protective clothing - including a broad-brimmed hat, for example.
Use extra caution when near reflective surfaces, like water, snow, and sand Water, snow, sand, even the windows of a building can reflect the damaging rays of the sun. That can increase your chance of sunburn, even if you’re in what you consider a shady spot.
Use extra caution when at higher altitudes You can experience more UV exposure at higher altitudes, because there is less atmosphere to absorb UV radiation.
Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen to cover all exposed skin.
The “broad spectrum” variety protects against overexposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. The FDA recommends using sunscreens that are not only broad spectrum, but that also have a sun protection factor (SPF) value of at least 15 for protection against sun-induced skin problems.
Re-apply broad-spectrum sunscreen throughout the day Even if a sunscreen is labeled as "water-resistant," it must be reapplied throughout the day, especially after sweating or swimming.
to be safe, apply sunscreen at a rate of one ounce every two hours. Depending on how much of the body needs coverage, a full-day (six-hour) outing could require one whole tube of sunscreen.