Summer is Coming: How Do You Protect Yourself from Sun Damage?

With summer just around the corner and the sun's rays at their hottest, taking precautions to prevent sun damage is an essential step to overall health. But these days, what exactly does that entail?

Before you even step outside, know that if you are using a tanning bed to get some color, you could be doubling your risk for skin cancer. The World Health Organisation has stated that sunbeds are as lethal as cigarettes and they are listed as one of the most dangerous, cancer-causing habits.

But what about hanging on the beach or just spending an afternoon outdoors in the sun? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a few serious sunburns as a child can be extremely dangerous. "Kids don't have to be at the pool, beach, or on vacation to get too much sun. Their skin needs protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays whenever they're outdoors," the website says. And the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends sunscreen for children whenever they're outside.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also reminds that it's important to protect yourself from ultraviolet radiation all year round and not just in the summer. For instance, even on cloudy or hazy days, sun can come through the clouds and damage your skin. UV rays also reflect off of surfaces such as water, cement, sand and snow.

Below are some tips recommended to help protect yourself from UV radiation, courtesy of the CDC.

• Seek shade, especially during midday hours.
• Wear clothing to protect exposed skin.
• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
• Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
• Use sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.
• Avoid indoor tanning.