summer health
Safer
sunscreen
S
hopping for sunscreen soon?
at’s a smart move.
e right sunscreen will
help you prevent early skin aging
and reduce your risk of skin cancer.
Some sunscreens help prevent
only sunburn, not skin cancer.
You’ll want a product that will do
both, so read
labels carefully.
e brand
name does not
matter. Instead,
look for a sunscreen that says that it:
Blocks both ultraviolet (UV)
A and B rays. Some labels call this
broad-spectrum
. Both wordings
mean the product will help prevent
skin cancer.
HEAT ILLNESS
Keep your cool
Soaking up the sun feels great.
Just be sure to take steps to
stay cool. If you get too hot,
it can make you sick. This is
called heat illness. And it can
be very dangerous.
There are different types
of heat illness. Some—like
heatstroke—can be serious
and require medical help right
away.
Others, like heat exhaustion
or heat cramps, may mean that
you need to take steps to cool
down.
To stay cool in hot weather:
Drink lots of fluids.
Wear light clothing.
Try to stay indoors with air
conditioning during the hottest
time of the day.
Avoid outdoor exercise when
it’s very hot out.
Signs you may have a
serious heat illness include:
»
A body temperature above
103.
»
Red, hot and dry skin.
»
Rapid pulse.
»
Dizziness.
»
Nausea.
»
A throbbing
headache.
»
Confusion.
If you or
someone else
has any of
these signs, get
medical help
right away.
Sources: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; National
Institutes of Health
Has a sun protection factor (SPF)
of 30 or higher.
Is water-resistant.
How to apply.
No sunscreen
will help for long if it’s not used the
right way. To help keep your skin
safe from the sun’s harmful rays:
Apply sunscreen about
15 minutes before going outdoors.
Use plenty of sunscreen to cover
all bare skin well.
Reapply
sunscreen
every two
hours. Also
reapply right
away after swimming or sweating
a lot.
Remember to use sunscreen all
year round. And toss the bottle
after the “use by” date.
Sources: American Academy of Dermatology; U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Read sunscreen labels to
know what you’re buying.
family
health
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