It's important to protect our skin and eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays. This invisible kind of radiation comes from the sun, tanning beds and sunlamps. Too much exposure can cause sunburn, eye damage, premature wrinkles and cancer. Here are some tips from the Lenexa Rec Center to stay safe outside as you soak up summer:

1. Try to avoid being in the sun during the brightest part of the day (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), when the sun’s UV rays are at their strongest.
   
   
2. Be sure to apply SPF 30 or greater to all exposed skin 15 minutes prior to going outside. Reapply every two hours, or more frequently if sweating or swimming. (No sunscreen is waterproof or sweatproof.) Be sure to think of all areas such as feet, tops of ears and lips. And get some help for those areas you cannot reach yourself.
   
   
3. Hats and sunglasses provide UV protection for our eyes, so be sure to wear them to block out the rays. This helps prevents cataracts, macular degeneration, and eye cancer later in life.
   
   
4. If you do get sunburned, make sure you take care of it quickly. Start with a cool bath or shower, patting the skin dry. Leave it slightly damp and apply moisturizer. This will trap the water under the moisturizer as it soaks in. Lastly, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Sunburns pull water from the internal organs to the skin.

Published July 23, 2021