This week is National Sun Safety Week and with schools letting out for the summer it can’t come at a better time.
I well remember the summer between my junior and senior year when we spent a week on St. George’s Island. Senior portraits were the week after our beach trip and I was determined to have a tan to remember. Determination quickly led that pale princess to Lobsterville. There were no toes in the water, no ass in the sand, oh no, I spent most of the week inside or on the screened porch reading Crime and Punishment and smelling like a salad. I don’t know what was worse, no water, no sand, the book, or the pervasive eau du vinegar. Ugh!
So I thought I would take a minute to share with you a few tips that I’ve learned over the years in regard to sun safety. Most of them learned the hard way…
- Bug spray and sunscreen don’t play nice together. The Sun Safety Alliance says bug spray reduces SPF by 1/3. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that combined they make for a very painful after sun experience.
- You can get sunburned in the shade. Experience, y’all. Experience… wear sunscreen even if you’re sitting in the shade, wearing a hat and covered up by a sarong. Also, on overcast days…again, experience.
- Spray sunscreen is the devil. I heard something about this on the news recently. They were advising against its use. I don’t know what their issue with it is, but in my experience it doesn’t just spray on nice and even. You have to rub it in just like the regular stuff if you’re going to use it or just go ahead and expect to be sporting a bizarrely shaped sunburn and (if you’re lucky) follow-on tan. Also, I suspect the propellants are dangerous to the atmosphere or our health or the wildlife.
- Use way more than you think you need. No really, slather that stuff on like it’s running from the faucets.
- Towels and clothing will steal your sunscreen. If you touch any part of your skin with any kind of fabric just go ahead and plan to reapply cause more than likely it took it off of you. Wet towels are the worst for this!
- If you develop a fine rash all over your exposed skin after applying sunscreen, go inside and wash it off immediately. Then schedule an appointment with your doctor or dermatologist. Do not spend the entire day outside re-applying the same sunscreen over and over. It’s just not worth it.
So there you go, just a few of my hard hitting, personal learning experiences with the sun.
And if you’re wondering how sunburns and massage relate, they don’t. If you have an appointment for a massage and also have a sunburn that is less than 48-72 hours old, just go ahead and call and reschedule. It’ll save you a trip as most good therapists will send you home anyway.
Take care of yourselves out there in the beautiful summer sun!
♥
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