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Bikini and Sun Lovers
Beware
Copyright, Valerie Giles ©
"It is becoming more and more
important that all sun lovers take precautions to avoid
excessive exposure to the sun's harmful rays. Following
are some tips to make your sun worshipping both
enjoyable and safer."
Many family traditions include a yearly
visit to the beach. Tucked away in our memories are the
smell of coconut oil, the warmth of the sun and sand
mixed with cool beach breezes. However, gone are the
days of baby oil and metal sun reflectors, replaced with
safer sun practices to preserve our natural skin color
and condition. Sun protection comes in a variety of
options to include sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hats, sun
protective swimwear and
cover-ups.
An important part of your beach planning
will be your sun protection. Sun tanning and trips to
your local tanning salon aren’t the best idea anymore.
That’s because both emit harmful ultraviolet (UV)
radiation that can cause painful sunburn and may
eventually lead to skin blemishes, premature aging of
the skin, cataracts and other eye problems, weakened
immune system and skin cancer. And if the Earth’s ozone
layer continues to deplete and the approximate rate of
four to six percent per decade there will be more UV
radiation reaching our skin.
It is true that light skin is more
susceptible to sun damage, however darker skinned people
such as African Americans and Hispanic Americans can be
affected. Everyone should be educated about the affects
of the sun and the steps needed to safer sun exposure.
The easiest way to protect you from the
sun is simply by avoiding the sun; the sun’s rays are
strongest between 10am and 3pm. Cloudy days may be
deceiving as the clouds only block about twenty percent
of UV radiation, this is also true when swimming in the
water (the UV rays can still reach you).
If you are going to be out in the sun in
your
bikinis or swimsuits,
either sunscreen or sunblock should be used. Both
sunscreen and sunblock come in creams, lotions,
ointments, gels or wax sticks, and when applied to the
skin will reflect, absorb or scatter either all or at
least some of the sun’s harmful rays. Currently on the
market are some makeup items containing sunscreen
(lipstick being one example). Sunscreen products are
believed to block a large percentage of harmful UV
radiation. The FDA requires that any label of sunscreen
products state the sun protection factor (SPF), the
higher the number the longer a person is able to stay in
the sun before burning. It is recommended to wear at
least a sunscreen with SPF 15, the product should also
be applied liberally 15 to 30 minutes before going
outdoors. The sunscreen should be applied to all areas
of skin that will be exposed to include; lips, ears,
eyelids (be careful not to get in eyes), neck, nose,
scalp (for those with thinning hair), feet, and hands.
Children under 6 months should not wear sunscreen
(covering their skin is the best bet against sun
exposure), as they might be too sensitive to the
ingredients. Sunscreen should become a regular habit for
children whenever going outdoors.
Sunglasses are a very important part of
sun protection. Not only do sunglasses help us see in
the glaring sun, but also protect our eyes from sun
damage. Price doesn’t matter as long as the glasses are
blocking ninety-nine to one hundred percent of UVA and
UVB radiation (it should say on the label). Try and
select sunglasses that protect your eyes from all
angles, a large framed wraparound style is suggested.
Don’t forget to put sunglasses on your children as well;
they can start wearing sunglasses as early as one year
old. It is important to purchase real protective
sunglasses for children, not toy sunglasses. Even if
you’re wearing sunglasses you might want to put some
sunscreen on your eyelids (be careful not to get the
sunscreen in you’re eyes), as the sunglasses protect
your eyes from UV rays not the skin around the eyes.
Hats are an easy and fashionable ways to
protect you’re eyes, ears, nose, neck and scalp from the
sun. Try and purchase a hat with a three- inch brim all
the way around the hat if possible. There are such a
wide variety of hats available in styles ranging from
lovely straw hats with wide brims, to cotton hats with
brims and baseball caps (some with material draping down
the sides and back if desired).
Another popular form of sun protection is
available in the sun protective swimwear and cover-ups.
This swimwear covers the areas of the body most
sensitive to sunburn, giving effective sun protection.
The swimwear comes in styles similar to a t-shirt with
adjoining shorts, and is a great idea especially for
children. The swimwear and cover-ups boast a SPF 50
(highest rating for fabric) and most often offers
approximately ninety-eight percent sunblock, the
nylon-lycra mix is lightweight and fast- drying. There
are also sunsuits combined with buoyancy aids (another
great idea for children). The sun protective swimwear,
t-shirts, cover-ups and hats are available in babies,
children and adult sizes. Although the protective
swimwear is quite popular it has yet to be approved by
the FDA.
Cover-ups should be worn whenever
possible if out in the sun. A cover-up can include any
lightweight, loose-fitting, long sleeved shirts, skirts,
pants or robes that provide protection from the sun.
There are toweling robes manufactured that serve both as
a towel and a cover-up after swimming. Almost all
materials and colors absorb or reflect the sun’s harmful
UV rays. However it must be noted that it is suggested
to avoid wearing wet clothing in the sun, as the sun’s
rays can much more easily pass through wet clothing.
It is important to avoid artificial
tanning as much as possible. It has long been a belief
that the ultraviolet (UV) rays from tanning beds are
harmless as they emit mostly UVA rays and barely any UVB
the rays considered to be most hazardous. However it has
been found that UVA rays may be the cause of the most
serious forms of skin cancer (melanoma). This is scary
considering some people use the tanning beds all year
long, thus increasing their exposure to the harmful rays
at an alarming rate.
An alternative to a real tan may come in
one of the self-tanning products available on the
market. Self-tanning products are sold in tanning pills,
sunless tanning lotions and sprays, cosmetic bronzers
and extenders and tanning pills. Through a bit of trial
and error you can usually find a product that will
produce a desired look from a subtle glow to a deep dark
tan. Caution should also be exercised with these
self-tanning products. In particular the tanning pills
that use carotenoid color additives which are approved
as additives for coloring food but not for use in
tanning pills, if consumed in high levels they may be
harmful. The tanning accelerators using tyrosine have
not been FDA approved and should also be used minimally.
The bronzers and extenders use color additives that are
approved by the FDA and because they wash or wear off
quite quickly are quite safe.
Although it’s important to practice
caution while being out and about in the sun, your day
at the beach or lake can still be a wonderful
experience. We just have to take a more careful approach
to our sun seeking ways to ensure our future health. So
pack away your coconut oil and reflectors, replacing
them with sunscreen and great sun protective hats and
cover-ups.
(1265 words)
Resource Box:
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Valerie Giles owns and operates
Bikinis and Swimsuits ,
a swimsuit and resort wear site showcasing bikinis,
one-piece swimsuits, plus size swimwear, tan through,
sheer swimsuits, tankinis and resort wear. Find the
perfect swimsuit for every occasion and every figure
type. Quality merchants and best prices. http://www.bikinis-and-swimsuits.com
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