The midweek morning’s weather forecast called for another
record-breaking wave of heat for the Valley, but I noticed the second part of
the forecast, the UV index. In the Phoenix area, the UV index is in the “very
high” and “extreme” ranges last week. That means those of us who live in
apartments need to be even more careful. The community pool tempts us for daily
dips, and summer barbecues are in full swing.
We all hear warnings about wearing sunscreen, and we are
getting better about applying it when we head out, but many of us are making
sunscreen mistakes. A couple hints for keeping your skin safe this summer:
Hit all the right
spots and use the right amount —Spray your face, tops of your ears, back of
your neck, arms, legs and tops of your feet. If you use a cream or gel, you’ll
need about a shot-glass full.
Reapply every two
hours— Most national brands will stay on for about two hours, and many
boast they are waterproof and sweatproof. This is good news for those who want
to hang out by the pool on hot summer days. But even the best sunscreen needs
to be reapplied every two hours.
Use sunscreen in the
shade — You never know how much of your body is being covered by the shade.
The fabric of the umbrella may not block UV rays.
Clouds don’t block UV
rays — Many of us think clouds will block the harmful rays. You are just as
likely to burn on a cloudy day, and more people seem to because they skimp on
sunscreen those days.