Refresh Your Sun Essentials This Spring
Spring is in the air, and the warm days of summer are soon to follow. That means more hours of daylight and more time in the sun.
So take time now to inspect the condition of your current sun apparel and accessories. Effectively protecting your skin from sun damage, premature aging, and skin cancer is essential to your overall health. Once you do, you’ll be ready when summer sunshine arrives.
Let’s get started!
Clothing
Begin by cranking up the beach tunes and pulling last year’s sunwear from closets and drawers. Gather swimsuits, rash guards, cover-ups, etc. Pile it all on your bed.
Inspect Each Item:
One by one, examine each garment for stretched-out areas like elastic on leg holes and straps. Look for frayed seams, strained fabric or “pills” on the seat (hint: sit on a towel when perched on the pool’s rough edge).
Toss the Unwearable:
Discard anything that is worn out, but feel free to keep your faded swimsuit for those evenings in the hot tub!
Try it On:
For those items that seem acceptable for another season – try them on. Do they still feel comfortable and fit well? If not, try a different size or style. When looking for replacement items, consider UPF 50+ sun protective-apparel. Be sure to shop soon, since spring is a great time to find the best style and color selections.
UV Skinz offers affordable, sun-safe fashion for the entire family that is UPF 50+ certified and carries the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. Consider additional sun-protective clothing like long sleeve sun shirts and lightweight long pants.
Next, let’s sort through your sun accessories from last year: sun hats, sunglasses, umbrellas, and sunscreen.
Sun Hats
Are your summer hats fraying and flimsy or bent or crushed from repeated packing? Maybe a baseball cap is your only go-to head protection – which still exposes your ears and neck to damaging UV rays. So why not upgrade your headwear with UPF 50+ wide brim sun hats that keep ears and neck
protected? Take a look at the UV Skinz selection of UPF 50+ hats in many styles for every family member.
Sunglasses
Are your shades scratched or bent from sandy days at the beach? Scratches might not affect the UV protection, but the distorted vision is distracting and could cause headaches. So shop for a new pair that provides 100% UVA and UVB protection. Select large, wraparound styles that provide extra coverage
for the delicate skin around your eyes. For kids, avoid the cheap toy-type sunglasses. Children also need UVA/UVB sunglasses to protect their eyes and vision. If possible, let them choose a pair (or two) for comfort and style. Your child will be more likely to wear them consistently.
Sunscreen
Round up all of your sunscreens. Don’t forget the sandy tubes in beach bags or the ones rolling around in your vehicle’s trunk.
Did it Expire:
Begin by tossing any sunscreen that has passed the expiration date. If the container doesn’t have a date, do you know when you bought it? (note: write the “purchase date” on a new container). Sunscreen should be effective for up to three years after purchase.
Is it Broad Spectrum:
Does the sunscreen have a broad spectrum UVA/UVB rating? Is it water resistant and a minimum of SPF 30? If not, it’s a good investment in your health to buy a product that is. Anyone who is photosensitive due to an immune disorder or other reason should consider sunscreen with SPF 50.
Was It Exposed to High Heat:
Was the sunscreen container frequently left in direct sunlight or a hot car? If yes, then pitch it. Even if sunscreen hasn’t expired, frequent exposure to heat can degrade its effectiveness. Any sunscreens that smell funny or have a separated consistency should be tossed as well.
If only one or two sunscreen containers survived this scrutiny, plan to refresh your sunscreen stash soon. That’s because you’ll empty sunscreen containers fast when using it consistently and generously.
Sun Umbrellas
Portable shade is a vital part of your sun protection strategy and can be sized for an individual or a small group. It’s important that your sun umbrellas are in good shape to protect you well. So if your current umbrellas are broken, rusted, or seen better days, begin shopping for replacements. Select a dark color, or better yet, an umbrella with UPF 50+ protected fabric.
These sun protection essentials work together to help prevent skin damage, chronic disorder flares, and skin cancer. Since you depend on them to keep your family UV-safe, it’s worth it to make sure these essentials are effective and in good condition.
