The other day a friend of mine drove home from a weekend trip (it took about 4 hours)and remarked that he felt extremely hot when he went to bed that night. He was surprised when he realized that he had a second degree sunburn on his arm and shoulder
He remarked "Well how did I get that? It was cloudy out." I asked him if he had put any sunscreen on before he drove. "No, I was in my car the whole time- I didn't think I would need it."
This is a common misconception about the sunburn. You CAN get a sunburn in your car, and you certainly can receive one when it's cloudy. Remember, that arm you stick out the window on your drive home is also at risk!
Here are some sun facts for you!
- If you are outside or in your car for long periods of time between 10:00am and 4:00pm- you are at risk from the sun- even if it's cloudy. 50%-80% of the sun's rays go through the clouds and can reach swimmers at least one foot below the surface of the water!!
- Check to see if any medications you take react with the sun- these can increase your chances of severe sunburn or even skin cancer
- Reflections of sunlight from water, snow and through car windows can cause sunburn- protect your skin with suntan lotion and your eyes with sunglasses
- Carry some aloe vera lotion and apply mosturizer 3 times a day to a burn- it will cool your skin down and aid in healing
Many people don't realize how quickly a burn can occur. A tan is the skin trying to shield itself from skin damage. Sure it may look pretty nice if you normally have pasty skin, but really you are aging your skin everytime you recieve a suntan. Things to think about!
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