Sun Safety 101

The sun has its benefits and drawbacks.  You can probably resonate with the feelings of happiness and the elevated mood that you feel on a sunny day. You’ve probably also heard a lot about how the sun’s UV rays can damage the skin and cause skin cancer.

It’s important to still go outside in the sun to gain sunlight’s many benefits but you must also take precautionary steps to protect your skin.

When you go out into the sun, a vitamin D precursor called provitamin D3 in your skin gets converted into the active form, previtamin D3. Vitamin D has a range of important biological functions in your body.

It helps your body to produce serotonin and dopamine, and it aids bone metabolism and maintenance. It also aids the absorption of other vitamins and minerals in the body.

However, being in the sun for too long or being outside when the sun is at its peak without protection can carry a risk. When your skin is overexposed to sunlight, your DNA can get damaged, and this increases the risk of skin cancer.

The global incidence of skin cancer (melanoma) is around 2-3 million annually, therefore, sun safety must be taken seriously.

How can you protect yourself from the harmful UV rays of the sun? Here are some top tips to protect your skin when you’re heading out on a sunny day:

• Avoid going out in the sun during peak hours (usually between 11 am and 3 pm)
• Dress appropriately and cover up your head, arms, and lower legs if necessary
• Wear SPF factor 30 or above on every area of exposed skin and reapply often
• Wear sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and  radiation
• Drink lots of water, so you don’t get dehydrated and become dizzy or faint