Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Play It Safe In The Sun

By Byron Jonas

One of the most important preventative health measures that we can practice is protecting ourselves from the sun. This is highly important especially for those of us who enjoy participating in outdoor activities and for families with children involved in school sports. Teaching your children how to enjoy the sun safely is one of the most important lessons a parent can give.

A little bit of prevention can go a long way when it comes to protecting ourselves and our kids from the potentially damaging effects of the sun's rays. Although it may not be the first things on our kids' minds as they run out to the playing fields this summer, it is an important duty of every parent to ensure that their children are aware of the risks that come with exposure to the sun as well as what can be done to prevent long-term damaging effects.

Summer sun can be quite enticing; it's during this time of year when everyone just can't wait to get outside and enjoy the great weather. Whatever your favorite sport or outdoor activity, a sunny day always seems to be the perfect day to get out in the fresh air. Before sending your kids out to play this summer, take the time to make sure they do so safely.

Over-exposure to the sun is the cause of a number of short and long-term health effects, a fact that is often overlooked as the sun just feels so good! The most rapidly occurring negative effect that the sun has on our bodies is sunburn, which can vary across a wide spectrum of pain and intensity, the most severe cases even leading to hospitalization.

Premature wrinkles are one long-term side effect of too much sun; educating your kids about this early on is an effective way to make them aware of the dangers of too much sun. Preserving our youth is important to just about everyone, and by protecting our skin from sun damage we can do our best to avoid aging before our time.

If a few wrinkles don't worry you, then you should consider the risk of getting skin cancer from over-exposure to the sun. Getting a great tan is not worth the chance of developing a life-threatening disease over time. Letting your children know about the risks before they plan their summers around sunbathing is an effective way to prevent them from damaging their young skin.

Many people mistakenly think that the only time to worry about sun protection is during the summer months or on extremely sunny days. Surprisingly, sunburns can even occur when it does not appear to be overly sunny outside. Just another reason why you can never be too careful when it comes to sun protection.

It is much better to play it safe when protecting ourselves and our families from the sun. Experts advise using sun protection techniques anytime you are outside, which is a good rule to follow. It is also a good idea to use a daily moisturizer that has a SPF; this will protect your face every day from the damage-causing UV rays of the sun.

Make sure to share these sun protection tips with your entire family, especially kids that will be spending a lot of time outdoors. Enjoy the summer sun safely and wisely, your skin will thank you for it.

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