Journeyfish - travel for today @journeyfish-blog - Tumblr Blog

calmyourbeans-deactivated201306

Stay Sun Safe

The sunshine is a major holiday draw, and sunbathing by the beach or pool is high up on many people’s list of priorities on their getaways. The quest for the perfect tan can cause health dangers though.

Source: styleessentials.tumblr.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Too much sun exposure can lead to aging of the skin. You will have seen people with that distinctive ‘leather handbag’ look to their faces. There are however more serious risks, specifically skin cancer. Fortunately there are ways to reduce the risk of this.

Avoiding the sun altogether could actually be a bad move health wise. Sunlight is a source of vitamin D. This nutrient is needed for healthy bones, and it is suspected that it may help to lower the risk of cancer – including skin cancer. Frequent and brief sun exposure is believed to be enough to get all the vitamin D you need without getting burnt.

Sun burn is not only painful and disfiguring, it can actually be pretty dangerous. Children with their more delicate skin are particularly susceptible so both making sure that they do not get burnt and setting a good example by not allowing yourself to lobster up.

With sun, the most important thing is to never allow yourself to get burnt. Appropriately strong sun screen can help with this – but nothing is as effective as moving into the shade or covering up. A hat with a brim can be good in these situations as they cover the ears – which are a part of the body that it is easy to singe in the sunlight.

As with so many health issues, lifestyle seems to play a big role in determining how likely it is for somebody to get skin cancer. Balanced diet, not being overweight and avoiding smoking has all been recommended by experts as ways of reducing the risk of skin cancer.

Lastly, it is important to get moles checked out. This is especially true for new moles and any of them that grow, change shape or itch.