You can even Sunburn through the Clouds!

This past weekend made me realize how strong the sun really is.

Everyone who joined us on the Private Island Cottage ended up getting a burn of some kind. It was cloudy on the first day that we went kayaking, fooling us into believing that we weren’t getting any sun. We spent most of the day paddling and exploring what the area had to offer, and didn’t realize at the time that we were getting roasted. I at least put sunscreen on my face but some of the others didn’t put any protection on at all, so they were left with harsh burns and funny farmer’s tans.

The next day I actually wanted to get some color, so I laid out all day with only an SPF of 15 on my face. It was really sunny out although I didn’t feel like I was getting a tan. The others were out with no SPF. The next day, we were paying for our stupidity with swollen red skin, and major pain when taking our usual warm showers.

For prevention of an ugly burn, make sure to ALWAYS lather up on sun protection, (EVEN WHEN IT’S CLOUDY, since the sun can get through the clouds without you knowing it!!) When I went to Australia a few years ago, they had an effective campaign called “Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide” which refers to: Slip on a shirt, Slop on some sunscreen, Slap on a hat. Seek shade, and Slide on the sunnies (sunglasses). Hard to say, but Easy to do!

Here are some other issues that could be caused alongside your sunburn:

Ø Heatstroke or other heat related illnesses from too much sun exposure

Ø Allergic reactions to sun exposure or to sunscreen products

Ø Vision problems, such as a burning pain, decreased visibility, or partial vision loss

Some possible Long term effects:

Ø Increased chance of having skin cancer

Ø Increased number of cold sores

Ø Increased problems related to a health condition (ie. lupus)

Ø Changes in skin (ie. premature wrinkling, brown spots, sagginess)

Ø Cataracts (from not protecting your eyes from indirect or direct sunlight over the years and can cause blindness)

You are more susceptible to a severe sunburn when:

Ø You have fair or freckled skin

Ø You have blond or red hair, and blue eyes

Ø You are more sensitive to light when you are younger than 6 and older than 60

Ø The time is between 10 am and 4 pm. This is when the sun’s rays are the strongest

Ø You are near reflective surfaces (water, white sand, concrete, snow and ice)

Ø You are at a higher altitude (there is less of the earth’s atmosphere to block the sunlight. UV exposure increases about 4% for every 1000ft gain in elevation

Ø You are closer to the equator (latitude)

This may be a lot of information to handle, but it’s simple. Protect yourself and be Sun Smart!!