Did you know that getting just a couple blistering sunburns in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s risk of getting melanoma in adulthood? Along with that, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 80% of a person’s lifetime exposure to the sun occurs during childhood. So the clear conclusion is that kids need all the protection they can get from the sun’s damaging UV rays, and from overheating.
Follow these simple steps to protect all members of your family without sacrificing outdoor fun:
- Keep babies 6 months old and younger out of direct sunlight.
- Dress yourself and your children in light-weight, tightly knit clothing.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat and wrap-around UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Apply a generous layer of broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum 30 SPF rating to all exposed areas of the body, including ears, neck, and feet.
- Remember that your skin still absorbs UV rays even on cloudy days.
- Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more often if swimming or showering.
- Take frequent breaks in the shade or indoors.
- Certain medications increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun, so take extra precautions.
- Know your family’s risk factors, such as history of skin cancer, fair skin, naturally red or blonde hair, blue or green eyes, and skin that freckles or burns easily.
- Set a good example for your kids by practicing sun safety yourself.
When you’re finally out of the sun for the day, it’s even more important that you return to cool, comfortable surroundings. And the best way to ensure that is to contact Optimum Air right now and request our AC cleaning & inspection service, especially if it’s been a year or more since the last time your system was serviced.
