Sun Exposure - protecting your skin

With hot days come serious sunburns and days of discomfort. That is why it is important to remember that a burn can be aquired in 30 minutes to an hour and a longer time in the sun can cause blisters, nausea, and unbearable pain which can require a hospital visit.
You always need to be aware of the sun even if it isn't seen as there are clouds overhead. You can even get a serious burn on days when it is cloudy. Before you come to Myrtle Beach and goto the beach you will want to pick up some good suntan lotion with a high SPF. It is suggested that you start off using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15. You will want to apply it about 1 hour before you start to swim, walk, or bicycle and remember to reapply frequently after swimming and if your perspiring - even if it is waterproof. Some recommend the sun when it is at it's highest peak and hottest from noon to 4pm.
When you are talking about strengths of sunscreen there is safety in numbers, meaning the higher the number the more if protects your skin. They range from SPF 2 to 45, the SPF on the sunscreen tells you how many times longer (not how many hours longer) the lotion protects you from a sunburn, compared if you were not wearing any sunscreen lotion at all. So let's say if you were wearing no sunscreen at all and your skin reddens in 20 minutes, putting on a sunscreen of SPF 15 will give you up to 5 hours in the sun before it wears off (20x15 = 300 minutes). Also when it comes to sunscreen watch what the daily report for UV rays is, the numbers range from 0 to 10+, depending on the season, cloud cover, and other atmospheric conditions. If it's a 5 you might want to wear a SPF 15, if it's 10 you might want to slap on some SPF 30.
Also it is good to protect your head. A hat is perfect for this, particularly one with a large brim. Also it is important to have a good pair of sunglasses which block UV rays. Those you buy for $5.00 at stores will not work, always check the UV rating on the sunglasses and stick with a major brand, your eyes will pay the price even though you will not be able to tell. Make sure you cover your babies take extra care in shielding them from the sun. If your kids will be in the ocean swimming for long periods suggest weaing a t-shirt. Boogie boards and rafts can cause rashes and this will double as protection from that as well.
Remember that your clothes you wear are important to while out in the sun during evens and shopping around town outside or taking a walk along the beach. It is important to wear tightly woven material, like cotton or twill, that doesn't allow UV rays to pass through. Darker clothes actually absorb more UV rays than light colors so keep this in mind also.