Protect Yourself from UV Exposure
by Brent
(New York, NY, USA)
We’ve really come a long way. Sunscreen used to be a greasy mess that kids would jump in the pool or ocean to wash off.
Parents were more concerned with skin redness than anything else.
Adults used “sun tan” lotion, since a darkened tan skin was considered healthy looking.
But that was before we learned about the damaging effects of Ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Prolonged exposure to UV rays raises your risk of skin cancer. While not all skin cancers are malignant, those that are can cause serious illness or death.
I’ve had a few severe sunburns in my life. You always think you can tell when you’ve had enough sun but the reality is that by the time you think that way, it’s too late.
Luckily I only have “sun freckles” and none were ever malignant. But those freckles did serve as a warning to me that I wasn’t protecting my skin.
Today, I would never consider being out under the sun without any sunscreen or cover.
As the ozone layer (the atmospheric layer that blocks some amount of UV rays) has decreased, it’s more important than ever to protect yourself so you won’t suffer from overexposure now or from cancer in the future.
Sunburn
Sun Allergy
Human Skin
UV Index
