At our Beach House, we love the sizzling temperatures of summer. A nice tan is a sign of a great vacation. But with the cool Caribbean breeze, it is so easy to just spend the whole day relaxing on the beach without thinking too much about sun safety. Make sure you protect yourself by following our top tips below and your time in the sun should go swimmingly!
If you manage to soak up a bit too much sun, our Beach House offers a Sun Burn Relief Station (located by the entrance of the pool and close to the Towel Hut). Natural remedies are provided such as cold towels, freshly cut cucumber and Aloe Vera leaves, which help relieve sunburns while local, organic and paraben-free skincare products help soothe and moisturize skin.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the following beach sun safety tips:
To ensure that you get the full SPF of a sunscreen, apply 1 ounce (about a shot glass full) 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin. The Skin Cancer Foundation suggests putting sunscreen on before putting on your bathing suit. Not only will it provide extra protection to the skin underneath, but you also are less likely to miss spots and end up with sunburn along the edges of your bathing suit. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to the tops of your feet.
While at the beach or pool, make sure to reapply sunscreen every two hours, or immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal. A half-day at the beach or pool requires at least two applications of sunscreen.
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are strongest and most dangerous during midday hours, especially from 10am to 4pm. Stay in the shade as much as possible during these hours, even on cloudy days. It’s still possible to get sunburn when it’s overcast outside. In fact, up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can get through the clouds.
Protect your head, face and eyes with a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses that filter out 99 to 100 percent of UV radiation. Cover up when you aren’t swimming. Long sleeves, pants, rash guards or sarongs for women are good options. If you decide to spend the entire day at the beach, be sure to take periodic “shade breaks” under a beach umbrella.
References:
http://www.communitycare.com
http://www.womenshealthmag.com
