During
the summer months, the sun can
be intense enough to burn your
skin between the hours of 10:00
am and 5:00 pm. The reflection
of the sun off of the ocean
and light colored sand can exaggerate
this effect even more. Overexposure
to the sun may result in skin
cancer later in life. Learn
the facts about exposure to
the sun's UV rays.
Dangers
of UV Exposure:
•
You
can sunburn even
on a cloudy day!
•
On average, children
spend 3 times more
time in the sun
than adults!
•
Concrete, sand,
water, and snow
reflect 85% to 90%
of the sun's UV
rays.
•
Depletion of
Earth's ozone continues
to increase your
exposure to UV rays!
•
More than 1 million
new cases of skin
cancer are diagnosed
each year in the
US!
•
Every 5 minutes
another women is
diagnosed with skin
cancer.
•
Skin cancer is
increasing at a
faster rate than
any other cancer.
•
Every sunburn
increases a child's
chance of getting
skin cancer as an
adult.
Tips to
Preventing Sunburns:
•
Avoid
sun exposure during
the hottest hours
of the sun’s
rays.
•
Apply sunscreen
with a SPF (Sun
Protection Factor)
of at least 15,
paying special attention
to the face, nose,
ears and shoulders.
•
Wear a hat.
•
Wear sunglasses
with UV (Ultraviolet)
Protection.
•
Drink plenty
of water and non-carbonated
drinks, even if
you do not feel
thirsty.
•
Some common areas
people forget to
apply sun screen
to are:
Tops of feet - (if
your walking along
the beach this area
will burn!).
Ears - just like
washing, don't forget
behind the ears.
Backs of the knees
- when you're laying
on your stomach,
this thin-skinned
area is particularly
vulnerable and can
be very painful
when burned.
•
Some perfumes,
colognes, deodorants
and antiperspirants
applied to the skin
can cause a rash
in combination with
sun exposure.
•
It is equally
important to reapply
sunscreen after
you have gone in
the water or toweled
off.
•
Whenever possible,
wear a shirt or
some kind of clothing
to minimize your
sun exposure.
•
Umbrellas or
other sunshades
are great devices
for staying out
of direct sunlight,
and will also help
keep you cool.
Nags
Head, NC
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