Have you ever asked, “Is there a sun safe time?” Are we to never feel the warm summer sun on our bare skin? Living in the sun seems so innocent. So natural to enjoy being out in the fresh sun-warmed air.
However, with an awareness of the increase of skin cancer, a sun-triggered disease, how much is safe? If one out of 5 of us will have skin cancer in our lifetime, what amount of sun is safe for you and your family?
Finding answers to your questions about sun safety is a giant step toward better sun safety for yourself and your family’s skin.
While it is true that most people have been in their 40s before skin cancer shows up, the cases of melanoma in younger people have been increasing. Yes, this is partly due to better awareness and getting a diagnosis earlier in life. This early diagnosis should cut down on fatalities as well.
The cure rate for melanoma is better if found early, but this is one skin cancer that kills more often. Once a melanoma develops, more usually follow. Often in organs that make discovery or surgery difficult or impossible.
Awareness For Staying Safe
Building your awareness of how you can stay safe might start with something as simple as setting up a new habit of sun time awareness. Know the times of day that are the most dangerous. Avoid those times of day, or get ready to pull out everything in your sun protection toolbox.
In the part of the world I live in, the sun is the hottest from 10 AM until 4 PM. May the 1 first through October 31 are the months that the sun is more directly over our part of the world. Here in central Texas, we have many days of serious sun. Serious and dangerous sun.
Now that I know the hours that are most dangerous, we will be making more effort to adjust our outside times. We love the sun and want to have time out in the sun. Our gardening can be done before 10 AM and after 4 PM. The heat of our sun is enough to make me seek shade.
I have seen how my skin looks with a tan. It is shocking how old a tan can make this grandmother look! Just recalling that image is enough to make wearing my wide-brimmed sun hat a necessity. Are you willing to make some changes? What Color Hat Is Best For Sun Protection
15 Minutes
Yes, that is right. Anytime over 15 minutes of sun exposure can pose a danger if you fit the super sensitive skin group.
Please remember that for infants under 12 months old, any amount of sun is too much. Keep your infant covered, in the shade, and protected.
After your child is a year old, limited time in the sun means no more than 15 minutes.
You as a parent have to be alert to the dangers of even short-time exposures to the sun, during the hours of more intense sunshine. There is absolutely no reason to expose your infants to this sun.
Infants can have brief times in the sun during the early morning hours, or in the late evening. Otherwise, they should be in the house or in the complete shade.
Allowing your young infant to have sun exposure sets them up for sun damage to their skin early in life.
Learn To Enjoy The Sun Safely
Learning to be aware of the sun and the danger of overexposure during the more dangerous times of day is an ongoing mission. You as the one in your family who is aware of the dangers can help teach others about sun safety.
The more you learn about how to keep your family safe in the sun the safer you can keep them Kids model family behavior, and sun safety is one you for sure want them to follow. When you know they understand about staying in the shade during the hotter hours of the sun the safer they will be.
We know how our younger kids become aware of their bodies with more exposure to peer pressure. If the “cool kid” is ignoring all the sun safety rules and guidelines, it will be harder for your child to be sun safe.
These cautious habits need to be deeply ingrained, and automatic. You can help with safety awareness for yourself and your family.
Learn a bit about sun cancer with this link https://www.inthesunfilm.com/sun-safety-101/
Sun Sensitive Awareness
Awareness of skin sensitivity is common sense.
Fair skin tones- usually accompanied by blonde or red hair, and light grey, blue and green eyes. Or, freckles. Any one of these conditions should make you more aware.
Medium – usually a bit more color in the skin, and often with freckles as well. The hair color is usually a bit darker into the darker blonde and brown to black hair colors. Eye color will usually be a bit darker or deeper.
Dark – usually deeper brown to black skin tones with very dark-colored eyes.
Of course, there are many combinations of skin tone, hair, and eye color. With the 8 billion of people on our earth, variations will occur.
- Your Sun sensitivity should be taken into account. Do you or one of your children get a measles-like rash when in the sun? Does one of your kids seem to turn redder quicker than the others?
Please stay super aware of the sun’s dangers for your family. You are the only protection your children have. You are the one who can help them learn to stay safe, even when you aren’t there.
Help your family realize the importance of wide-brimmed sun hats and sunglasses. Then they need to know about sun blocking shirts as well as sunscreen.
They need to be aware of too much sun when they are taking antihistamines or other drugs for allergies. Do you take anti-inflammatories? Are you careful to make sure you and all the members of your family drink enough fluids?
Your family needs you to help them learn the basics of staying safe.
Sami’s Take On “Is There A Sun Safe Time”
This question of safe sun time is confusing, but there are some safe sun times. Before 10 AM and often after 4 PM can be considered safe to be out in the sun if you have your sunglasses, sun hat, and sun blocking shirt on.
However, few of us have kept our time in the sun to the safer times. We often want to be out in the more direct sun times of the day. This is a setup for sunburn.
So yes, there need to be some lifestyle changes. We can’t continue to flaunt all safety concerns and keep our skin safe.
A safe sun time has required some lifestyle changes for us. We are learning slowly that we can change. At least a little this year. a little next.
Soon I will be able to report some decent habits.
Where are you on your journey to safer skin in the sun?
Have you found some ways to speed up your trip? Have questions, please share in the comments section. We are all growing here, and helping each other by sharing what has worked will be appreciated,
Thanks,
Sami