5 Tips for Protecting Your Skin in the Sunshine State
DID YOU KNOW, Florida is #2
in the US for highest number of melanoma cases.
It’s no secret that many of the Florida Lifestyle activities happen outside and that can add up over time.
Extreme temperatures and sun exposure can offer challenges to things that Florida’s newcomers may not be aware. As a person that requires moderate temperatures and indirect sunlight, winters here are decent by most standards, but I struggle with the summers here as they can be very brutal with heat, humidity and direct sun exposure. I thought it might help to share some of the things that we do to limit our heat and sun exposure.
1) TIME OF DAY: Especially for Stef and Liam we focus on time of day that we choose to play or venture out. Since 10am-4pm is the hottest part of the day, we like to walk Tank, run errands or take in local outdoor activities early in the day. In the evening we like to play outside later in the day and watch the sunset before bedtime.
2) CHOICE OF ACTIVITIES: While many people come here for vacations in the summer, we’ve found that for locals the summer months are more of our hibernation period, similar to winter in the places where it snows. We find this a great time to take in local museums and indoor activities that we don’t get to do throughout the school year.
HERE ARE OUR #RESORTTV1RECOMMENDS FOR INDOOR ACTIVITIES:
Crayola Experience and Orlando Science Center. Notable Mentions: Andretti’s, SkyZone and Cagan Crossing Library.
3) ATTIRE: What you wear is just as important as what sunscreen you use and how well you hydrate. “Damage from harmful rays can occur in as little as 15 minutes of exposure but the longer you are out, the greater the exposure.” (LINK) So wearing UV protective shirts, long pants, a sunhat with a large brim and protective eye wear is well advised.
HERE ARE OUR #RESORTTV1RECOMMENDS FROM AMAZON:
Womens UV Shirt, Womens Hat, Kids Hat, Mens Sunglasses, Unisex Hat
4) SUNSCREEN: “Damage from harmful rays can occur in as little as 15 minutes of exposure but the longer you are out, the greater the exposure.” (LINK) Each member of our house has a separate sunscreen that works best for them.
I personally have to use the super clean, super powerful products to protect from the sun. Going out in the summer, I look more like a vampire trying to avoid turning into a flaming pile of dust, but the reality is I have medications and conditions that elevate my level of risk. I alternate between a couple kinds of sunscreen based on availability.
PRO TIP FROM STEF: I have a reminder set for March 1st every year to check the expiration dates and order new sunscreen before Spring Break. Pick a time of year that is more common for your family to need summer products and set a reminder for yourself, too.
HERE ARE OUR #RESORTTV1RECOMMENDS FOR SUNSCREEN:
Blue Lizard, Neutrogena Beach, Neutrogena 70SPF, Australian Gold, Neutrogena Kids
5) HYDRATE FROM THE INSIDE OUT: When it’s so hot out, it’s very easy to get dehydrated. I find the hard part is that with the higher humidity levels and the afternoon rains, it makes it really hard to want to drink enough to hydrate, however, this is essential to living our best Florida life.
I try to make sure the each person in our house (including the dog) gets plenty of water. The standard recommendation is drink half of your body weight in ounces a day, so 50 ounces of water/drink for every 100 pounds. However, if you are sweating, the amount of fluid needed to replace the loss increases AND electrolytes may be needed, too. Sports drinks help, but they can be full of sugar. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can also help with hydration and nutrients as well.
I find it helpful to add a couple things to my thermos of water every day or two to support hydration. I have to be very careful about what is in my supplements; many of them have mushroom, green tea or vitamin Bs in them, so they would be out for me. There are some great Electrolytes out there, but this is the one I’ve found that works well for me. it’s most streamlined Electrolytes I have found. I also like to add collagen, MCTs and omegas to support cellular regeneration. There are a lot of solutions for these too, just make sure to pick a good multi-sourced product for the collagen and a good quality supplements.
FLORIDA IS A GREAT PLACE FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. Let’s just use caution exposing our largest organ to the sun; it can cause lasting effects even beneath the surface. “Five or more sunburns more than doubles your risk of developing potentially deadly melanoma….“Sunburn accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of cases of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell, carcinoma and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.” (LINK) Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US. The good news is that there are plenty of prevention options and if you catch it early enough, there are treatment options, too!
