A Wren Says

It is the unofficial start to summer in the United States this weekend. People will be outside. Pool parties galore. Barbecues. Long hot days in the sun playing pickleball, tennis, and everything we wouldn’t let ourselves play the colder months of the year. And a whole lot of people getting sunburned. Don’t let that be you. Here’s my annual admonition to you to wear your sunscreen. I mean come on, do you really want to end up sunburnt when you’re supposed to enjoying your summer?

Sunburns are painful, they cause the unsightly skin peeling, and they increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Wait what? Yes, the more you let your skin experience sunburn, the more damage you cause to your skin cells, and the more likely that they will progress to that unchecked cell division known as cancer.

And because we’re vain over here, you also want to avoid to keep your skin from aging faster than it should. More sun damage equals more wrinkles, more dryness, and more hyperpigmentation. Note, I didn’t write tanning. I mean those inconsistencies in your complexion, not an overall extra bronzed glow.

So, if you want to avoid getting sunburn this summer, here’s what you should do.

1. Wear your sunscreen: You knew that was coming. This whole post is to get you to remember that is important. But I also want you to wear enough sunscreen. An easy tool is to squeeze line on two of your fingers and let that be the amount to apply to your face. For your body, you should apply a shot glass amount to your whole body. If it’s helpful, you could literally squeeze your sunscreen into the glass and make sure you’ve applied all of it to yourself. Of course, if you are larger and have more skin, you might have to apply more.
2. Reapply: Next, I want you to remember to reapply every 2 hours or after you’ve been in water. The same amount you put on the first time, that’s how much to apply for your subsequent applications.
3. Don’t rely on just sunscreen: Don’t think that sunscreen is the only thing that will help You should also wear hats, visors, sunglasses, and UPF clothing. But of course, try to stay out of the sun and take shade when possible.

Have fun outside this summer, but don’t let the fun in the sun turn into a lifetime of skin damage. Remember to wear your sunscreen.