UV Safety Month

July is known as Ultraviolet Safety Month. During this time, the mission is to spread awareness about how important it is to protect our eyes and skin from the side effects of UV rays. This month continues to be a reminder on the connection between over exposure to UV light and cancers that occur in the eyes, lips, and the skin. Officials try to educate the public about different methods of protecting oneself from these harsh rays.

Lengthened exposure to UV rays that can come from natural or artificial sources can cause most skin cancers, including melanoma, basal cell, and squamous cell cancers. People who run into more Ultra violet rays can go through premature aging of the skin and signs of sun damage that include leathery skin, liver spots, wrinkles, and solar elastosis. A common aliment comes in the form of sunburn that can come directly from the sun or a tanning bed.

People who get too much UV light rays can also develop a weakened immune system. Vaccines will start to be less effective in those people. Their bodies start having a harder time fighting off infections that occur. With a weaker system, problems such as reactivation of herpes can get triggered by sun or other UV ray sources. Although these outcomes can be scary, there are things you can do to help minimize your risk of sun exposure.

1. Choose the right sunscreen: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) recommends that each person wears a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) that is at least 15 and they should cover UV-A and UV-B rays.
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2. Cover up: If you are going to be out in the sunyou should wear proper clothing such as pants, long sleeved shirts, a hat andsun glasses to protect you from harmful rays.
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3. Stayin the Shade: Because midday is when the sun is at it’s most intense, try staying in a shaded area from 10 am to 4pm to help protect your skin.
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Since majority of us were forced to be inside over a better part of a year, people are rushing to get outside. It is important to take the necessary precautions to protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s rays. If you have any medical problems after spending time in the sun make sure you seek help from a healthcare provider.

Resources:

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/sun

‍Cancer prevention: https://www.cancerhealth.com/basics/health-basics/cancer-prevention

How to choose clean and safe sunscreen: https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-beauty/steps-choosing-clean-safe-sunscreen/