How to protect your family from the sun this summer

If you're like most people, you and your family probably enjoy spending the summer outside soaking up the warm, sunny weather. Unfortunately, it's easy to get too much of a good thing. Along with short-term issues like painful sunburns, unprotected exposure to the sun can also cause an assortment of long-term health problems. Nearly 1.3 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, and one of the leading causes is damage from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Fortunately, these risks can be managed with the right precautions. With that in mind, here are a few great ways to keep yourself and your family safe as the calendar turns to summer.

Slap on Sunscreen

It seems obvious, but using sunscreen is one of the best ways to prevent overexposure. It can be applied just about anywhere at any time, and it significantly reduces the risk posed by ultraviolet rays. However, it's important to use sunscreen properly in order to ensure maximum effectiveness. Experts recommend a protection factor of at least SPF30, though people with fair skin may need to go even higher. It's also best to purchase a sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection, meaning that it works against both UVA and UVB radiation. You should apply it about 30 minutes before venturing outside, re-applying every two hours as necessary.

Dress for Success

Covering your skin with long-sleeve shirts, pants and hats may be the last thing you want to do during the heat of summer, but using lightweight clothing to reduce skin exposure is an excellent way to protect yourself and your family. Tightly-woven clothing is most effective since it largely blocks the sun and its harmful radiation from reaching your skin. For children and others who are especially vulnerable, the best choice is thin, light clothing that features a UPF 50+ rating. This rating certifies that the article of clothing allows transmission of less than two percent of UV rays. Equally important is wearing a large, wide-brimmed hat to protect your scalp and the back of your neck.

Monitor the UV Index

Most people hold the mistaken assumption that the sun is only dangerous on bright and sunny days. In reality, the risk from sunlight depends on many factors ranging from ozone to elevation to time of year. Ultraviolet rays can travel through clouds, so your family may still be at risk even on cloudy or overcast days. To help make informed decisions and protect your family, it's a good idea to monitor the UV Index for your location. The UV Index is a scale used to measure the strength of the sun's ultraviolet rays at a particular location, and the Environmental Protection Agency makes this information available for most locations in the United States. The index is broken into categories ranging from "Low" to "Extreme," with higher categories requiring more extensive protection measures.

Keep an Eye on Your Eyes

While you're taking steps to protect your skin from the sun, it's also a good idea to protect your eyes. Solar radiation increases the risk for all sorts of maladies, ranging from cataracts to corneal sunburn to various cancers of the eyes and eyelids. As with skin, the threat to your eyes doesn't go away even on cloudy days. Though visible sunlight may be blocked, harmful ultraviolet rays are not. One surefire way to protect yourself and your family is to wear protective sunglasses. Though they need not be expensive, your sunglasses should offer at least 99 percent protection against UVA and UVB rays. For added protection, sunglasses with polarized lenses reflect more visible light to cut down on glare.

Take Cover With Shade Sails

Of course, the most reliable way to prevent damage from the sun is to prevent overexposure entirely. One way to do this is by keeping your family inside from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the sun's rays are generally at their most intense, but no one wants to be stuck inside on a beautiful day. Instead, consider using shade sails to keep your family safe without leaving them locked up inside. Shade sails are tensioned fabric canopies that can be used to provide safe places for you and your family to enjoy the beautiful weather without fearing damage from UV rays. Shade sails can block up to 99 percent of the sun's harmful rays, and their versatile design means they can be installed in a wide range of locations to provide protection exactly where you need it.

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