We are well into the month of March, which for Durban means heat, humidity and days spent at the pool and on sports fields.
Although it can be tempting to want to get that sun-kissed bronze skin, we need to be aware that short-term beauty could result in long-term consequences.
According to the WHO South Africa has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world with about 20 000 cases reported each year and 700 deaths. So what can we do to protect ourselves? It’s as easy as 1, 2, spray! Applying or spraying on a sunblock with the CANSA approved label provides the appropriate SPF needed to protect the skin against the UVA and UVB rays of the sun. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and is representative of the duration it protects your skin from the sun i.e. if your skin takes 5 min to change colour usually then an SPF 20 will take 20 times as long – 100min. All lotions and aerosols need to constantly be applied as there is no such product as a total sun blocker.
Here are some other tips from CANSA to help avoid unnecessary exposure:
1. Stay out of the sun from 10am to 3pm, as this is when they sun’s rays are the most dangerous.
2. UV rays can reflect off of water, cement, sand, glass etc., and therefore one can get burnt even while in the shade.
3. Always wear a hat with a wide brim and look for UV protective swimwear, especially for the little ones.
4. Protect your eyes with sunglasses that have a UV400 protective rating – sun damage can lead to premature cataracts forming.
5. Apply sunblock with a SPF 20-50 and always reapply regularly.
6. Stay hydrated!
So let’s enjoy our days in the sun but protect our skin for the future.
By Dr Laura Troskie, Umhlanga General Practitioners, www.umhlangagp.net.