July is national UV Safety Month, and we happen to think that’s a health issue well worth calling extra attention to. Especially right here in the heart of Texas.
After all, skin is your body’s largest organ, and every bit as much of an organ as your heart and kidneys. Which makes it deserving of the same level of protective care.
So, why exactly does our skin need protection from the sun’s UV rays? Because overexposure can cause all kinds of health problems, including the following:
- Eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration
- Premature wrinkling
- Leathery skin
- Age spots
- Weakened immune system
- Various infections
- Skin cancer
While avoiding over-exposure to the sun (and sun lamps) and applying generous amounts of high level sunscreen are two very good protective measures, here are a few more:
- Wear protective clothing such as pants, long-sleeve shirts and hats whether you’re working in the yard for going for a walk around the block.
- Wear sunglasses with UV protection to protect your eyes.
- Avoid getting sunburned, as sunburn adds to the risk of getting skin cancer.
- Whether you’re at the beach or a pool, spend more time in the shade and less in the sun.
- Use extra caution when near reflective surfaces, like water, snow, sand, and glass buildings. These can increase your chances of getting sunburned, even if you’re within a shaded area.
- Be extra careful in higher elevations. The closer you are to the sun, the greater the concentration of UV rays.
- Re-apply sunscreen during the day, and don’t be fooled by those that are “water resistant.” They may be, but only to the point, and their protection does not last all day.
- Change your schedule, whenever possible, so you have minimum exposure to the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM when UV rays are the strongest.
Okay, you say, but “at least I’ll be perfectly fine and safe while I’m indoors!” Well, yes, but you still need to keep away from windows and skylights that reflect the sun or intensify their heat. In fact, it’s a good idea to keep those windows and skylights covered while the sun is on them for another very good reason: your house will stay cooler and, as a result, you’ll cut your summer time energy costs.
Of course, if you just love looking out your windows even in full sun, then outfit your home with UV-protective window film which blocks more than 99% of the sun’s UV rays.