sun bathing and precautions

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Most of us love being outside in the summertime. Sunshine not only makes everything look better, it makes us feel good too. But ultraviolet (UV) rays in the sunlight can damage the cells in your body. You should do everything you can to avoid getting burnt by the sun. This is because over time small amounts of sunburn damage can build up, which may lead to the development of skin cancer or melanoma. Tanning and your skin Tanning is a natural process. Your skin creates the brown-coloured pigment called melanin to protect it against the harmful UV rays in sunlight. This means even the lightest suntan is evidence of skin damage. While a tan is your body's way of protecting itself against UV rays, if the damaged skin cells can't repair themselves, they can become cancerous. You should be particularly careful in spring when your skin is pale. A tan doesn't guarantee that you will avoid skin cancer later on in life. Sun exposure is a key factor in skin cancer, and the number of cases has doubled over the last few decades. How can you avoid sun damage? You can protect your skin by following a few basic rules for your skin type. Choose one statement from the list below that best describes your skin type. Imagine you are sunbathing in spring for the first time, without wearing any sunscreen. Skin type 1: I always burn, I never tan. Skin type 2: if I spend an hour in the sun I feel slightly burnt the next day. After seven days I have a slight tan. Skin type 3: if I spend an hour in the sun I feel slightly burnt the next day. After seven days I am moderately tanned. Skin type 4: I never feel burnt after spending an hour in the sun. After seven days I am very tanned. All skin types should stay out of the sun at the hottest times of the day (11am-3pm). Skin type 1 Avoid sunbathing and make sure you cover arms and legs with long shirts etc when out in the summer sun. You will not get a tan – any attempts will only cause skin damage, which may later develop into cancer. Fine pale skin does not age as quickly as other skin types. Your tanned friends will get wrinkles long before you do Skin type 2 Even the highest SPF sunscreen with maximum UVA stars can't block out all the sun's harmful rays. This is why you should stay in the shade or cover up when the sun is at its strongest (11am-3pm). TYPE 2 Don't try to tan and take extra care in the sun. Use a sunscreen with a high protection factor (SPF 30) during the peak of the summer season. Don't use a sunscreen with an SPF lower than 15. Skin types 3 You should wear a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF 20+). Don't be tempted to use a sunscreen with an SPF lower than 15, even if you rarely burn. You are still at risk of developing skin cancer and should take care in the sun. Skin type 4 Even though your chances of developing skin cancer are less than those of people with skin type 1, 2 or 3, the sun can still damage your skin and cause wrinkles. You should use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15.