Official Beginning of Summer
The official beginning of summer is June 20th, but the unofficial beginning of summer is already here! The weather is warm, and due to social distancing, people are spending more time enjoying nature than they have before. If your family intends to enjoy this summer to the fullest, practicing sun safety should be your priority. Regardless if you’re grilling in your backyard, or spending time at the beach, here are tips to keep you #SaferIntheShade!
1. Make the most of your accessories: If you’re unable to find a shady place to do your outdoor activities, make the most of your accessories! Wide brim hats provide additional protection for your face, neck, and scalp, while a loose cotton cover-up will give a layer of protection over the rest of your body.
2. Find ways to shade your children while they play outside. We know how difficult it is to apply and reapply sunscreen to children before they run outside to play! If you have equipment like a swing set or sandbox, try to place these playground accessories in shaded areas of your yard. You can also invest in a shade sail to keep the sun from hitting their skin directly.
3. Limit your outdoor activities between 10 am and 4 pm. This is the sunniest part of the day! If you want to be active outside, but are concerned about sun exposure, start earlier in the morning. You’ll also enjoy cooler temperatures during this time of day.
4. Take canopies or umbrellas along with you. If you’re going camping or heading to the beach for vacation, you can’t avoid being outside between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm. Being prepared with a fold-up canopy or umbrella will keep your skin safe and allow you to have fun without getting a sunburn
5. Sunscreen is still your best friend. Enjoying the shade while outside is not a replacement for using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB radiation. You should always use both shade and sunscreen together to prevent sunburns, and more importantly to prevent skin cancer!
We hope your family has a safe and healthy summer! Remember these tips and you’ll always have a good time.
If you need to schedule a skin check for you or your child, you can contact Western Maryland Dermatology at (301) 777-7900 or visit us online at wmderma.com/contact/ where you can chat with one of our reservation specialists.