Let's Talk About Sun Protection

Ahead of the coming week - which promises to be a record-breaking scorcher for much of the UK - let's take a look at how to stay safe in the sun!

Living in the UK, we spend a lot of time struggling to get enough sun.

So how come when the sun comes out, we are encouraged to be careful?!

Well, sun is vital.

It helps us to produce Vitamin D (which is important for so many things in our bodies like cognition, mood and sleep cycle regulation and bone growth) and it just makes us feel better!

But like anything, too much can be harmful.

So how do we stay safe in the sunshine this summer?

1. SPF

Wearing an SPF not only helps you avoid the dreaded sunburn but also helps prevent skin damage which can lead to cancer.

Finding the right SPF level for you can depend on your skin type and location. If you live in more northerly climes, a lower SPF will be sufficient, whereas sunnier locations will require a higher level. Likewise, the lighter your skin is (the less melanin you have), the more likely your skin is to be damaged by the sun - so the higher SPF you should use.

It's also a good rule to use a higher level of SPF on your face than other areas of your body as the skin of your face is thinner and more easily damaged, and shows sun damage more readily.

2. Covering up

To some extent, getting pure unadulterated sunlight on our skin is one of the best things we can do. But again, too much of a good thing can be bad for us.

Even though it might feel like the last thing you want to do, covering up with loose layers on hot days can actually help to cool you down and prevent sunburn. This is especially important for children and people who work outdoors in hot weather.

3. Hats!

In a similar vein to covering up, hats can be your friend in the sun. Not only do they help shade your face so you can concentrate on your book by the pool, but they help keep your head cool.

Keeping your head under wraps can keep you from overheating and help you avoid the dreaded sunstroke which can leave you with nausea, vomiting, a headache, dizziness and elevated heart rate. In extreme cases, it can lead to hospitalisation and even death.

4. Sports

If you like to play sports in the summer, you'll know how quickly you can overheat.

If this is you, good tips are to try and work out in the morning when the temperature is coolest, cover up if you're going to be outside for long periods of time, stay hydrated and ensure you replace lost electrolytes.

People often glug gallons of water after exercising in the heat, but if you don't also replace the salt you lose in your sweat, you can end up with hyponatremia - a lack of sodium. This can leave you feeling nauseous, dizzy, headachey and with muscle cramps.

5. Shade.

Your biggest ally against the sun!

This one explains itself. Sun is good - in moderation. If you can feel yourself overheating or burning, retire to the shade for a while. You'll feel a lot better for it!

This is especially true for children, older people and pets. These groups are all less likely to feel the negative effects of overexposure at the time, but will suffer the most afterwards. '

If you're heading to the beach or a park where shade is minimal, it can be worth investing in a tent or gazebo to provide some much needed shade, especially for the more vulnerable.

6. UV Levels

One of the best ways to stay safe in the sun is to look at the UV levels. This can help you gauge how careful you need to be.

They will change throughout the year, depending on your location and throughout the day. UV levels will be lowest in the mornings and evening and at their highest in the middle of the day, which is when you need to be most careful. Have a little check on a sunny day before you leave the house to see if you need to take extra precautions!

You can use this map from the Met Office to see what the UV levels are where you are and what precautions you need to take:?https://loom.ly/pBw-wLU

Aaaand what to do when you've got the dreaded sunburn.

1. Get out of the sun as soon as possible
2. Cool it down. A cool shower or bath will feel like a relief.
3. Use after sun creams or gels - aloe vera is particularly good as it is water, not oil based
4. If the pain is extreme, take over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen.
5. Try and keep the burned skin out of the sun until it's healed.
6. Don't pick it! Peeling off your shedding skin after sunburn (sorry for that mental image) is satisfying but can lead to permanent scarring, so is best avoided!

Have fun, and stay safe!