How to stay safe in the sun

(Without putting your skin at risk!)

When the sun finally makes an appearance in the UK, we tend to throw caution to the wind, spending hours lapping up the warm rays without a second thought to how it may be damaging our skin.

Sun IS good for you but…

… like most things in life, enjoying the sunshine in moderation and with an extra layer of protection will help you benefit even more from the sun.

Here’s how the sun is good for you –

• It works with your body to create Vitamin D, an essential nutrient in helping our bones to be strong and healthy. We can’t make this vitamin without the sun so when the sun is shining, spending time outdoors is a healthy way to spend time.
• It also helps us feel better in our mood too. Plenty of warmth and sunshine tops ups serotonin levels in the brain, helping to banish the blues.

Staying safe in the sun

Suffering from heat rash because of quick, sudden and prolonged exposure to sun and heat is no way to start your summer.

All that irritating itching can soon dampen our happy mood brought on by the sun.

And its certainly no laughing matter to find that we could have avoided skin cancer if we had used sun cream and sunblock.

Heat exhaustion, headaches, nausea and generally feeling unwell also comes from too much exposure to the sun.

Fortunately, there are ways of avoided all these problems and shielding our skin from the sun without blocking out all the good effects that come with it.

• Sun cream – whether you have fair skin or ‘never burn’, using sun cream is essential.
• Shades and a hat – minimise the effects of exposure by wearing sunglasses to shield your eyes and a wide-brimmed hat too.
• Stay hydrated – drink plenty of water and cool your drinks with ice.
• Time – don’t overdo it in the sun by spending time in the cool shade too.

How to stay safe in the sun?

Find out more on how to enjoy the sun without exposing your skin and health with this super infographic stuffed with great ideas on how to enjoy the sun, the benefits of being in the sun but the precautions to take too.