Get serious about sun
protection to keep your
skin safe all season long
— and beyond.
Respect the
Rays
After a long, dark and cold winter,
almost nothing feels better than getting
outside to enjoy the warm weather.
However, the brightness of a spring day
has a dark side: ultraviolet (UV) light.
UV light can result in ill-advised tans
or painful sunburns, making time in
the sun dangerous and the leading
cause of skin cancer. When your
skin changes color in the sun, it's
a visible sign of the damage UV
radiation is doing to your skin
cells. If you have more than fi ve
sunburns during your lifetime,
your risk for melanoma — the
deadliest form of skin cancer
— doubles.
Here are steps you can take to protect
yourself from the sun's harmful rays.
KEEP COOL AND COVER UP
Clothing is your fi rst line of defense against UV radiation. Wearing long sleeves and
long pants during the heat of spring and summer may sound less than ideal. However,
long-sleeved shirts with light colors and thin fabric will keep you cool and help protect
you from sun damage.
Your eyes also need shielding. Forgoing sun protection for your
eyes can result in corneal sunburn, cataracts and cancer on
your eyelids or inside your eyes. Wear sunglasses that
block the sun's UVA (long-wave, less intense) and UVB
(short-wave, more intense) radiation. They should also
be big enough to cover your entire eye, eyelids and
surrounding areas: the more coverage, the better.
Polarized lenses can also protect you from UV light
refl ected off of snow or water.
A wide-brimmed hat can also safeguard your eyes from
UV rays. Look for a hat with at least a three-inch brim
all the way around. Protect your entire head and neck,
including areas that may get overlooked when applying
sunscreen, such as the back of your neck and tops of your ears.
4
christussantarosa.org