Tanned skin may not be healthy skin. Sunburned skin definitely is unhealthy and can lead to bigger health issues such as melanoma. Protect your skin this summer when you’re poolside. You certainly don’t want to hide under an umbrella or avoid the sun entirely, you just need to spend time in the sun safely.
In fact, being in the sun is a healthy way to get vitamin D — the healthful rays of the sun are absorbed into our skin and our bodies produce vitamin D. In the northernmost areas of the country where the sun rarely shines in the winter months, people suffer from a vitamin D deficiency.
Protect your skin this summer
Caring for your skin, both before and after swimming and having your pool contractor make certain the water chemicals are properly balanced will address potential skin care problems and keep you healthy and safe all summer long.
Here are tips from the American Cancer Society to stay healthy in the summer sun:
- Cover your skin when you’re not swimming. Stick to shaded areas.
- Wear waterproof sunscreen. Reapply often. Use sunscreen with at least 30 SPF (sun protection factor) higher if you burn easily and to avoid sun burn). Sunscreen should be put on your face, the tips of your ears and the top of your head if you’re not wearing a hat. Don’t forget to have someone put sunscreen on your back and other areas you cannot reach.
- Wear a floppy hat and one with a built in SPF to protect your face and neck.
- Don’t let an overcast day fool you. You can get sunburned even when the sun doesn’t appear to be out. In fact, it’s easier to get burned on a cloudy day because you won’t feel the heat of the sun until it’s too late.
- Keep children slathered with sunscreen to protect their extremely delicate skin. Use a sunscreen specifically formulated for children.
Sun safety and swimming pool fun definitely go hand-in-hand. You just need to do both of them with safety funt of mind!