5 Sun Safety Rules From Experts

Excess sun exposure can lead to damaging sunburns. Your goal should be to avoid sunburns, which can lead to premature wrinkling and an increased risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. Let’s take a look at some ways to prevent sunburn.

1. Making sunscreen part of the routine
“There is a famous saying among dermatologists, ‘The best sunscreen is the one you put on,’” dermatologist Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, M.D. told Mom.com. In other words, your dermatologists would rather see you have sunscreen on rather than worry about whether it is the best possible one. With that being said, Dr. Kazlouskaya continued to explain that mineral sunscreens are the most recommended. “The reason for this is that they are less commonly the cause of allergic reactions in patients and are healthier for the environment.”

2. Limiting time in the sun
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends limiting the time you spend in the sun to help prevent sunburns and excess sun exposure. It notes that the sun's rays are most intense between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Try to avoid direct sun at this time of the day by staying indoors. If you must be outside, make sure to use sunscreen and wear protective clothing.

The proper use of clothing can be a big help in preventing sunburns and excessive exposure. Here are some tips to help keep you and the family safe.

3. UV protective clothing
While any clothing will help shield you from the sun, not every fabric gives you maximum protection, according to SkinCancer.org. Dark and bright colors are better at protecting your skin from the sun because they absorb the UV rays rather than letting them penetrate through to the skin. Densely woven cloths like denim or wool are better options than loosely woven ones. You can test a fabric’s sun safety by holding it up to the light. The more that light shines through, the less protective the clothing is.

Then there are fabrics that shield UV rays because of the content of the material. Some of the best fabrics are:

• Unbleached cotton: Has natural lignins that are UV absorbers
• Shiny polyester: Reflects radiation
• High-tech fabrics: Have UV absorbers and dyes.
  Look for the SkinCancer.org Seal of Recommendation with clothes.

4. Choose the right sunglasses
Wearing sunglasses is another vital aspect of sun protection. It shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when near water, sand, or snow that can all reflect UV radiation, leading to serious eye problems. Wearing just any old pair of sunglasses might not be effective.

The FDA recommends sunglasses rated at UV400 or 100% UV protection. This should be on the label of the glasses. Wrap-around frames provide more protection than other styles. Note that the darkness of the glasses doesn’t indicate their UV protection. There are dark glasses that don’t offer UV protection, while there are very light and colored glasses that do. Read the labels to be sure you get the protection you are looking for.

5. Wear a wide-brimmed hat
Virginia Vincent is a mom of a fair-skinned child. Even with sunscreen, she makes sure to use a wide-brimmed hat when her child is out in the sun playing. “I feel better blocking as much of the sun out as possible. We worry about how easy it is for her skin to burn, so we take extra precaution,” she told Mom.com.

Even the most protective parents can’t always prevent a sunburn from happening. If you or your child have a sunburn, you want to get relief from the burning, itchy skin while also doing everything that you can to limit the damage happening to the skin. The Mayo Clinic says that it can take up to two days for the severity of the burn to become evident and several more days to start the healing process.

Here’s what the Mayo Clinic recommends to do for your sunburn:

• Cool the skin: A cool bath with baking soda can soothe the skin. You can also apply a cool, wet towel to the affected area several times a day.
• Use moisturizing lotions or gels: Aloe vera or calamine lotion are commonly applied to help ease the burn and moisturize the skin.
• Stay hydrated: Your body is releasing heat with the burn. Stay hydrated to help heal.
• Don’t break intact blisters: Popping blisters can lead to infection. If a blister breaks, clean it and apply antibiotic ointment, covering it with a nonstick bandage.
• Protect the skin from further damage: Limit sun exposure until the skin is healed.
• Take an anti-itch medication: Oral antihistamines help ease the itch you will feel as the burn begins to peel and heal.
• Use a corticosteroid cream on minor burns: This will help the area heal faster. Don’t apply cream to blisters or severe burns.