Here in NZ, the sun can get quite hot and maybe even dangerous because of the giant hole in the ozone layer. You can get sunburn, extreme sun tan, and from this, Melanoma. Melanoma is a skin cancer which you get from having a sun burn. It is getting more common in NZ because of not being sun smart, so lets slap on sunscreen and learn things to keep you safe from the sun.
1. Make sure if you're going out in the summer, no matter if it is sunny or cloudy, wear sunscreen. You can't really see they rays of the sun, so if it is cloudy, the sun still may be burning you. Apply the sunscreen all over the body, and especially for boys put it behind and on the ears and on the back of the neck. Wait 20 minutes before going out to ensure the sunscreen will protect you. If you are going outdoor swimming, ensure all exposed parts of the body are covered. Reapply every hour or so especially after water contact.
2. Put on a bowl hat so that your ears are getting covered as well as your face. I don't recommend wearing a cap because it doesn't protect your ears and neck
3. Cover yourself with clothing such as a t-shirt and pants, because if you expose your body you are at an extremely high risk of sunburn and UV light exposure.
4. I have heard it is illegal to sell glasses which aren't UV light protective in NZ, so make sure to wear them at any time the sun is out.
5. Get under the shade as soon as possible, and try to stay under it for as long as you can. The longer time you are away from the sun, the less likely you are to get sunburn.
I hope you've enjoyed reading my blog post about how to be sun smart. Thank you for finding my blog. Please give me feedback or if you have any questions, please ask. Have you heard of UV rays? Tell me in the comments.
Stay sun safe!
Fakalofa lahi atu Gargee,
ReplyDeleteWell done on listing some things that help keep us safe in the summer sun, you have also explained why each point is on your sun smart list, ka pai. You are right, there is indeed a possibility of sunburn and possibly worse if you do not protect yourself properly.
It isn't illegal to sell glasses that don't have UV protection, but it wouldn't be right if stores sold sunglasses advertised as UV protected if they weren't...What do you think? Perhaps next time you could explain how UV protection, protects our eyes.
When I am out with family or friends, we always make sure to put sunscreen on our necks, face, arms and legs. It’s always handy to take a sun shade too, so we can sit in the shade when taking a break from swimming either at the beach, river or pool.
Toe feiloa’i fo’i,
Cia.