Staying safe in the summer is just as important as wrapping up in the winter. Somehow, people seem to think that it is less important to protect themselves from the sun in summer however, they wouldn't dream of going outside in a vest in the winter! There really is no difference and you should treat the hot weather with
caution. It is understandable that you may be confused about the types of sun cream available and what factor should you be wearing, but not to worry because all will be explained. Just remember to be careful this summer and to avoid putting yourself at risk of getting skin damage from the sun.
Getting the X-Factor
Wearing the right factor sun cream is crucial to stop yourself burning or damaging your skin from the sun. Think of it as if you were buying normal body cream, there are a range of different creams for different skin types and it is the same rule for sun cream. The lighter your complexion, the higher the factor of sun cream. However, always remember that you are far better off to wear a higher factor even if you have a darker complexion, it is much better to be too protected than unprotected. Another good guide to what sun cream factor you should be wearing is to compare it to the UV index in the area where you are. Details of the UV index can be found at the World Health Organisation. Basically, the UV index is a guide to how strong the UV sun rays are at a certain time or in a certain place. The UV index may differ throughout the day and may become higher between the hours of 12-15.00 in the afternoon, when the sun is at its strongest. The UV index shows that UV 1-2 is the lowest and UV 11+ is the highest and most extreme temperature. This is a recommended guide to follow and by checking this regularly you can determine what factor you should be wearing at what time of the day.
Just for you
Have you ever taken a good look at your skin type to see what colour/type of skin you have? Well it is a good idea to ask yourself the following questions:
Do I have freckles?
Do I burn easily in the sun?
Is my skin particularly sensitive?
How pale is my skin?
You then must choose which category you fall in to and this will help you to see what factor of sun cream you should be wearing and how long you will be able to stay in the sun unprotected (without sun cream).
Group 1
Very pale complexion, light coloured eyes, sensitive skin and freckles. Blonde or red hair.
If you fall in to this category you may already know that you tend to burn in the sun rather than tan. It is recommended that you wear a high factor sun cream between 20-50. You should have no longer than 5-10 minutes in direct sunlight when unprotected.
Group 2
Pale complexion, light coloured eyes, and maybe freckles. Light/fair hair colour.
You may find that you can burn easily in the sun and you only get a tan occasionally. You should be wearing a high factor sun cream and should have between 10-20 minutes in direct sunlight.
Group 3
Medium/dark eyes, medium complexion. Brown/dark hair.
If you think you fit in to this group, you may find easier to tan although you can get sun burn if you are not careful. For this group, you will be able to have between 20-30 minutes if direct sunlight before needing to apply sun cream.
Group 4
Dark eyes, dark complexion. Dark hair.
You are a lot more likely to tan but at the same time, you don't want to risk damaging your skin by taking unnecessary risks. You can stand about 40-45 minutes of direct sunlight, but do make sure that you apply sun cream after this time, as you don't want to risk burning your skin or damaging it any way.
