I got a, I got a, I got a pocket full of sunshine...

It's that time of year!  Ya know, the warm part.  Time for beaches, lakes, pools, laying out, boating everything that means your skin is going to get LOTS of sun.  This past year I actually had 3 scary instances in which 3 separate friends went to visit the doctor for a skin check up.  The appointments for all three friends ended with chunks of skin being removed due to precancerous skin cells.  After this happened to three different friends of mine, needless to say it scared the shit out of me.  So my primary goal this summer is to protect my skin!  I happen to be rather fond of it and would prefer to have no chunks of it removed.  What actually led to this post was preparing for a boating trip I will be taking tomorrow afternoon.

I thought I'd share a little of my new information with you all.  What are the good effects from the sun?

• UV from the Sun is needed by our bodies to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D helps strengthen bones, muscles and the body’s immune system.
• UV is used in the treatment of skin conditions such as psoriasis. 
• Research suggests that sunlight stimulates the pineal gland in the brain to produce certain chemicals called ‘tryptamines’. These chemicals improve our mood.  
• UV has positive applications in the fields of disinfection and sterilization.  

Now of course with all the good effects come the bad...

• that dreaded C word.... CANCER
• Dehydration
• UV burns the skin. Sunburn is a burn that occurs when skin cells are damaged.
• Over-exposure to UV radiation has a harmful suppressing effect on the immune system
• Prolonged exposure to UV or high intensities of UV (for example, in sunbeds) damages the tissues of eyes and can cause a ‘burning’ of the eye surface, called ‘snow blindness’.
• UV speeds up the aging of skin, since the UV destroys collagen and connective tissue beneath the top layer of the skin.

If you are interested in reading more of these effects click here.

Now here is the major question... What do we do to make sure we don't suffer from bad effects?

• Wear sunscreen... the more prone you are to burn the higher the SPF you should use (depending on what I'm doing outside I use between 15 and 30.) Remember to apply 30 minutes before sun exposure to make sure it's completely absorbed before going out and make sure to reapply at least every 2 hours, may need to more frequently if in the water or in contact with any water like substance.
• Wear a sun hat to protect your eyes
• Utilize the shade
• Bring clothing to cover up if you feel like you are burning
• Drink PLENTY of water!  
• try to limit sun exposure

 Also, remember that even if it's cloudy outside make sure you still wear sunscreen.  UV rays can still penetrate through clouds.