Solar panels absorb sunlight throughout the day, generating clean electricity. While sunshine is also energizing for people, activating immune cell function and boosting your mood, it’s important to be aware of the risks of excessive sun exposure. Below, we explain UV rays, why sun safety is important, and six ways to stay safe outdoors.
What Are The Types Of UV Rays?
The sun emits invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which consists of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. UVC rays are hazardous, but the Earth’s ozone layer blocks those out, so we don’t need to worry about them! UV radiation on Earth is made up of UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are longer and more common, but less intense. UVB rays are shorter and less common, but stronger.
Why Is Sun Safety Important?
UV rays are beneficial in small doses, as they contain Vitamin D, essential for maintaining bone health and supporting the immune system. However, overexposure to UV rays can not only result in painful sunburns and damaged skin cells; This can lead to serious long-term health issues such as skin cancers, early skin aging (wrinkles and leathery skin), eye damage, and decreased immune system functionality.
You may have heard the term UV index before. The Ultraviolet Index is a rating scale with numbers from 1 to 11, predicting the amount of skin-damaging UV rays that reach Earth’s surface each day at noon when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. A rating of 0-2 means there is a low risk of sun damage, while a rating above 6 is considered high and calls for skin and eye protection measures.
Six Ways to Stay Safe Outdoors
1. Protecting Your Skin With Sunscreen
Using sunscreen can greatly reduce your risk of sun damage. Sunscreen contains chemicals, like avobenzone, zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide, that absorb UV rays before they hit your skin. These chemical barriers are essentially minerals that are ground into fine particles, sitting on the surface of your skin to shield your skin from harmful UV rays. Sunscreen should:
- Have an SPF of at least 15. But, higher is optimal!
- Provide broad spectrum protection that filters out both UVA and UVB rays
- Be applied all year round, not just in sunny months. You should also continue to apply sunscreen on cloudy days since 80 – 90% of the sun’s UV rays can get through the clouds
- Be applied to all exposed areas of the skin. This includes the lips, which you can protect using a lip balm with an SPF of 15+.
- Be used with kids over 6 months old. Make sure to choose a sunscreen made for children and test it on your child’s wrist before use to prevent skin irritation.
- Be reapplied every two hours when swimming or sweating heavily
2. Treating a Sunburn
Sunburns are red and damaged skin caused by overexposure to UV rays. They often occur from spending too much time in the sun and can be painful or sensitive to the touch. Over time, the skin may begin to peel and shed the dead skin cells. If you notice you have a sunburn, here are some at-home steps you can take to treat it.
**Note: We are not medical professionals and the following tips are for informational purposes only. If you believe you have a severe sunburn, seek guidance from a licensed healthcare provider.
- Take cool baths or showers
- Drink water to avoid dehydration
- Cover irritated skin with clothing while it heals
- Apply a lotion or gel moisturizer that contains aloe vera
3. Sunglasses Shield Your Eyes From the Sun
Sunglasses are an effective way to prevent eye damage from the sun since they block UV rays from reaching your eyes. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing protective sunglasses.
- Look for a UV400 rating or 100% UV protection
- Darker tinted sunglasses do not necessarily provide greater UV protection
- Wearing sunglasses from morning to night is optimal
- Wrap around sunglasses have greater eye protection as they also provide eye coverage from the side
4. Wear Protective Clothing
When possible, you should wear clothing that keeps you safe and protected from harmful UV rays, such as lightweight and long-sleeved shirts and pants. Darker colored clothing also makes you feel warmer outdoors because it absorbs light rather than reflecting it. To feel cooler in sunny weather, wear lighter-colored clothing that reflects the sun’s warm rays.
5. Get Sun-kissed Without the Risk
You can also get many of the benefits from the sun without spending too much time in the heat. Vitamin D is found naturally in some foods like fatty fish and fish oils, as well as fortified dairy products. There are also vitamin D supplements available to help prevent deficiencies.
If you’re looking to get a tan, you can safely add pigment to your skin with sunless tanning lotions or sprays. However, these products do not produce melanin, which adds a natural dark color to your skin and protects your skin cells from UV rays. Therefore, it’s essential to wear sunscreen when enjoying the sun.
6. Limit Exposure, Especially During Heat Advisories
It’s especially important to monitor your body’s responses to intense sun and heat. During times of intense heat, some areas will issue heat advisories. When there is a heat advisory issued, you should be monitoring sun safety with extra precautions.
During these times excessive sun exposure can lead to heat exhaustion. If you begin to get heat exhaustion, you may notice your skin getting cold, excessive sweating, weak pulse, muscle cramps, headaches, and nausea among other symptoms.
To prevent yourself from heat exhaustion, it’s important to follow the precautionary measures outlined above and take breaks in the shade. While time in the sun is important and scientifically proven to be beneficial, immense heat and UV exposure can lead to detrimental health effects.
Solaris Supports Sun Safety
We want you to love the sun as much as we do. After all, it is the source of all energy and life on Earth. But, too much of anything, even a good thing, can be dangerous. We encourage you to practice safe habits while letting the sunshine empower you and your home.