July is UV Safety Awareness Month

July is UV Safety Month, aimed at spreading the word on proper skin care and preventing potential problems from arising. Now that the warm summer months have arrived, people are spending as much time as possible outdoors. Doing so without proper skin protection can lead to some pretty nasty sunburns, but worse yet is the possibility of developing skin cancer. Keeping safe in the sun is vitally important, and fairly easy to do. Here are a few tips to keep you and your skin healthy while you enjoy your time outdoors.

Of course, you're going to want to wear sunscreen as much as possible, especially if you're prone to burns. Make sure it's SPF 15 or higher, or you'll be wasting your time. If you have fair skin or light hair, you may want to go for an even higher SPF. Try and use sunscreen labeled as "broad spectrum." This means it provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays, both of which can be harmful.

Wear a hat with a wide brim. Having a constant source of shade can be a blessing when the mercury starts to rise, and you'll be able to stay outside much longer if you don't have the sun constantly pounding down on you. Similarly, wearing sunglasses will prevent eye strain and make it easier to stay outdoors.

Being in the sun can be healthy, too! As people who spend a majority of their time indoors, nearly 70 percent of the American population suffers from a vitamin D deficiency. Getting outside will help bring these levels back up, which can yield some very beneficial health results.

Be diligent about checking your skin often for any new moles that may have arisen, especially if you're spending a lot of time outside. Do your best to learn the layout of your already-existing marks so you'll easily be able to see if anything changes. If you see anything out of the ordinary, it's best to call your doctor and ask him to check it out as soon as possible.

Eyes are at risk to UV rays all year round. Sunlight is not the only culprit though—tanning beds offer a higher dose of UV rays than sunlight. This makes it important to protect the eyes from UV rays in all situations by wearing proper eye protection—either UV blocking sunglasses or appropriate tanning goggles.
Here are some tips from the American Academy of Ophthalmology:

• Don’t focus on color or darkness of sunglass lenses: Select sunglasses that block UV rays. Don’t be deceived by color or cost. The ability to block UV light is not dependent on the price tag or how dark the sunglass lenses are.
• Check for 100 percent UV protection: Make sure your sunglasses block 100 percent of UV-A rays and UV-B rays.
• Choose wrap-around styles: Ideally, your sunglasses should wrap all the way around to your temples, so the sun’s rays can’t enter from the side.
• Wear a hat: In addition to your sunglasses, wear a broad-brimmed hat to protect your eyes.
• Don’t rely on contact lenses: Even if you wear contact lenses with UV protection, remember your sunglasses.
• Don’t be fooled by clouds: The sun’s rays can pass through haze and thin clouds. Sun damage to eyes can occur anytime during the year, not just in the summertime.
• Protect your eyes during peak sun times: Sunglasses should be worn whenever outside, and it’s especially important to wear sunglasses in the early afternoon and at higher altitudes, where UV light is more intense.
• Never look directly at the sun. Looking directly at the sun at any time, including during an eclipse, can lead to solar retinopathy, damage to the eye’s retina from solar radiation.
• Don’t forget the kids: Everyone is at risk, including children.
• Protect their eyes with hats and sunglasses. In addition, try to keep children out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest.