Summer Sun Safety!

There is nothing better than a Pure Michigan Summer! All of us locals know that for sure, since in this Great Lakes state you are never more than 85 miles from a Great Lake! Something to keep in mind is the sun that makes our days so lovely, and how to keep safe from the strong summer rays.

The first line of defense is a good sunscreen! Medical news today recommends a sunscreen that has an SPF of 15 or more, and offers broad-spectrum protection. Sunscreen should be applied 15 minutes prior to going out into the sun and if you are taking a dip into a lovely lake or pool, it should be reapplied every 40 minutes! If you are not, you should be reapplying every 2 hours!

SPF is a measurement of how much lower the risk of skin damage is due to the level in the sunscreen! The focus is the time it takes for UVB rays to penetrate to sunscreen barrier compared to unprotected skin. SPF doesn’t necessarily mean the higher the level the longer you can be in the sun, other factors have an impact! A few of these factors are the weather conditions, the time of day, skin type, how the lotion is applied, how much is used, and any other environmental and individual factors! Most people only use 25-50% of the recommended amount!

Because some people are allergic to sunscreen it is important to keep in mind the other options of sun protection! There are SPF shirts, as well as hats to keep the sun out of your face! Columbia in particular offers sun protection in many of their clothing styles!

If you are looking for more information please visit Sun protection factor (SPF): What is the best sunscreen? (medicalnewstoday.com).