Remember These Sun Safety Tips
- Don’t allow yourself to burn!
- UVB rays, the primary cause of sunburn, are strongest during summer, but all UV rays can cause damage year-round.
- Extra protection is required at high altitudes, where the air and cloud cover are thinner, allowing more damaging UV rays to get through the atmosphere. For every 1,000 feet of altitude, UV exposure increases 8-10 percent.
- Sand, water, snow, ice, and other bright surfaces reflect UV and increase your UV exposure by up to 80 percent.
- Tightly woven, bright- or dark-colored clothes are best at protecting your skin—pastels, bleached cottons and whites let in the most UV radiation. For extra protection, wear clothing with a high Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) level. UPF rates a fabric’s ability to protect you from harmful rays. For instance, a shirt with a UPF of 50 will let in just 1/50th of the sun’s UV radiation.
