Hello, my name is Cindy. I live in the suburbs of Sydney with my family. Although I would occasionally visit the doctor when I was feeling too good or if one of the children had a cold. However, my whole view on doctors changed when I found a lump on breast last year. I went to my GP in a panic, but he was a real sweetie. He calmed me down and explained he would refer me for a further investigation. Thankfully, they caught my cancer early and after some treatment, I made a full recovery. Since this close call, I have taken a keen interest in everything health related.
When the warmer months make their return, many people look forward to spending time outdoors. If you're one of them, you may be drawn to the idea of basking in the sunshine. Although spending time outside is an excellent way to keep your vitamin D levels high, it does come with some risks, too. Because of this, you need to know how to care for your skin in hot weather.
Avoid Peak Sunshine Hour Exercise
Although it's warm outside, you probably don't want to abandon your usual fitness routine. If that routine involves exercising outdoors, you may want to change the hours you follow it.
Exercising during peak sunshine hours places you at greater risk of dehydration. As far as your skin is concerned, this could result in it becoming dry and flaky. Additionally, the amount of sweat you produce means you're increasing your chances of developing heat rash. Finally, spending time in direct sunlight increases your risk of receiving a skin cancer diagnosis later in life.
Change How You Use Sunscreen
Using a cream with SPF protection is advisable no matter what the weather is like outside. During the summer months, you'll need to up your game.
Make sure you aim for an SPF of at least 30. Additionally, focus on the areas of your body that receive the most sun exposure. A lot of skin cancers appear in areas such as the bridge of the nose, ears, and hands. Pay close attention to how much cream you're using in those locations and re-apply regularly. Such areas are often easy to forget, especially when you're having fun in the sun.
Opt for Light Cotton Clothing
Covering up is one of the most reliable ways to protect yourself against the sun's harmful rays. If you want to make your efforts more effective, make sure you choose light cotton clothing.
Wearing light colours means you're less likely to attract lots of the sun's rays. Additionally, cotton allows your skin to breathe and decreases your chance of sweating too much. Because of this, it's a useful guard against heat rash.
By taking a careful approach towards the way you spend time outdoors in hot weather, you can keep your skin safe. If you have experienced sunburns in the past and you're worried about the effects, contact your local skin cancer clinic to ask about screening. With a simple check, your clinician will be able to assess your skin cancer risk profile.
Share28 October 2019
