SunScreen Smarts!

It's May .. the flowers are blooming, the temperture is slowly rising and we are in Daylight Savings Time. That means more time in the sun and that means that all the SMART folks will be slathering on ...

SUNSCREEN!

Think your sunscreen from last summer is still good? Think again! Sunscreen's become less effective over time and they have experiation dates. So clean out your medicine cabinet, your bike bags and the back of the car and stock up on some FRESH SUNSCREEN!

I'm not telling you to stay out of the sun, my friends. It is a pretty unrealistic request, even for me. Riding my bike and being outdoors is a pretty important factor in my overall "Quality of Life". Now that I have been diagnosed with Melanoma, I just need to find ways to stay protected when I choose to "Stay in the Sun"....

But you don't need to be diagnosed with Cancer to make smart choices! Why not play it smart and to what you can to "prevent Cancer!!"
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Taken from Cool in the Shade .. It's a great site!!

Need some help knowing what works?

The ingredients in sunscreen protect the skin by either absorbing or blocking and scattering UV radiation.

Sunscreens are rated by the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) system. The SPF rating is primarily the amount of UVB protection the sunscreen provides. The rating (SPF15, SPF20, etc.) indicates how much longer a person can be in the Sun before burning than when not wearing sunscreen.
For example:

Suppose you can stay in the Sun for 10 minutes before starting to burn if you are NOT wearing sunscreen. When using sunscreen you can stay in the Sun your initial 10 minutes multiplied by the SPF rating. So if you use a sunscreen rated SPF15, you should be able to stay in the Sun for 150 minutes (10 x 15) or 2.5 hours before starting to burn. Reapplying sunscreen reinforces the protection although it does not extend the time you can remain in the Sun.

How to choose the proper sunscreen and SPF.

The best sunscreen is one that blocks enough UV radiation to protect your skin. The chart below can be used as a guideline to obtain the proper protection.

REMEMBER: You should always consult with your physician when choosing the proper sunscreen ESPECIALLY if you are taking any medications that could result in photosensitivity.

This SPF Chart makes recommendation based on your skin type and is the best I have found yet! Check it out!

Then SLAP that SUNCREEN ON and go for a long run, ride, sail, walk ....(insert favorite sunny day activity here)

I'd NEVER ask you NOT TO PLAY ... I am just asking you to PLAY SMART!

Live STRONG with SUNSCREEN ON!