UV caution
Ultraviolet light is invisible electromagnetic energy radiated by the sun.
Measured on an Ultraviolet Index (UVI), the higher the number, the more protection is required.
Unfortunately for us, New Zealand has high levels, especially during peak times between September and March.
Levels even more intense during the middle of the day.
The UV rays that affect us are UVA and UVB.
UVA rays are longer wavelength rays that go deeper into the skin, causing premature ageing (they also travel through glass).
UVB rays are higher frequency, affect the outer skin and cause sunburn.
The New Zealand Cancer Society credits excessive UV exposure as the probable cause of more than 90% of skin cancer cases.
If you plan to spend any time in the sun, especially during the times of high UV levels, it's important to protect your skin.
- Go for a broad-spectrum sunblock, which protects against UVA and UVB rays.
- If you're concerned about the ingredients going into sunblocks, choose one designed for children, as they're often more gentle and less fragranced. Also check out what's available in health shops. Try: N.O.M. UVA and UVB Sunscreen or Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen.
- When applying, watch out for the often-forgotten areas: lips, neck, ears, hands and feet. And remember to reapply sunscreen regularly.
- Even if you aren't sunbaking you can still be exposed to harmful rays, so consider buying a moisturiser or SPF-rated make-up. Many options are now available so ask to try a product before buying to make sure it isn't too heavy or oily.
Try: The Body Shop. It offers an SPF option in most of its existing ranges.
Worth a try: Astaxanthin, an antioxidant available from health shops, is credited with providing internally absorbed protection from sun damage and increasing the time it takes to burn, by assisting the body's own antioxidant defence system.
Try it in conjunction with your normal sun protection and clothing.
Burning issue
Even knowing we have to protect ourselves from the sun, it's easy to get caught unprepared, especially at the beginning of summer. If you do get burnt, help is at hand.
- Start by cooling down the burnt skin with cool or icy water and make sure you drink plenty of water to rehydrate.
- Moisturise with a product designed for sunburn. Aloe vera is one of the most common ingredients due to its cooling and healing abilities, while vitamin E is popular for its antioxidant effects. Watch out for alcohol-based products, which can dry out the skin even further.
Try: Mebo Burn Repair (available from health shops and selected pharmacies). It is used in treating all kinds of burns and contains antimicrobial ingredients to stop infections and cool down the burned area.
- Avoid getting sunburned repeatedly. Your skin is newer after peeling and even more sensitive.
- If the burn is severe and the skin is blistering, don't risk infection. Go straight to the doctor for advice.
With sunbaking and sunbeds falling out of fashion, self-tanning products have become the best, and safest, way to look tanned.
For a professional DIY tan:
- Prepare your skin first. Exfoliate, especially around knees, ankles and elbows, to stop product collecting in the crevices of rougher skin.
- With so many options on the market - gels, sprays and lotions - it pays to experiment with a product first to see if it is the right one for you. Some products dry faster while others leave skin more hydrated. Some give instant colour while others build gradually; a much better option for beginners.
- Don't rush. You can always add more, but once you've applied too much, it's too late.
- Choose a specialised product for the face and let it build very slowly. You will want the results to look as natural as possible.
- Apply the product at night to give it a good chance to develop and dry. Then you can see the finished result in the morning before leaving the house.
- Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards to avoid orange, streaky hands.
- If something does go wrong, have a hot shower and use a loofah to remove as much colour as possible. Lemon juice and swimming in a chlorinated pool are said to help.
- If you don't feel confident with DIY tanning, try a professional spray tan from a salon.
Eye care
Exposure to sun can also cause eye problems, such as cataracts and retinal diseases, so make sure you have a good pair of sunglasses.
- Look for shades with high UV protection and avoid those without. They can dilate your pupils without protecting them, exposing them to more damage.
- Don't judge glasses on price. An expensive price tag is no guarantee of protection.
- Oversized sunglasses aren't just a fashion statement; they also offer better cover. Choose close-fitting ones and watch how much light enters from the sides.
- Full-range UV protection is more important than whether lenses are made from plastic or glass.
- Remember, it's never too early to start protecting the eyes, so make sure kids have a pair of sunglasses with proper UV protection.
- Be especially careful around reflective surfaces such as snow, water or sand.
- Wear a hat with a brim to offer extra cover.
The good sun
Just as we decide it's safer to stay indoors unless wearing a hat, sunscreen and head-to-toe clothing, we need to remember the benefits of spending some time in the sun.
According to the New Zealand Cancer Society, exposure to UVB rays is the best way to maintain vitamin D levels, which are beneficial for general health as well as for bone, joint, muscle and neurological function.
Even spending 20 minutes in the sun, three times a week will help lift your vitamin D levels.
But remember, it doesn't work through glass, so you will need to leave the house.
While we're all at risk of being vitamin D deficient, older people, those with dark skin or people with a very indoor lifestyle are particularly at risk as they are less able to synthesise the vitamin D from sunlight.
If you don't think you're getting enough vitamin D, especially in the winter months, health shops offer supplements and some foods are also fortified, though it's debatable if these foods contain high enough vitamin D levels to be effective.
Other benefits from time in the sun? According to the Cancer Society, sun exposure increases melatonin production, reduces the risk of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), depression and sleep disorders.
Hair to protect
We hear a lot about protecting our skin from the sun, but what about our hair?
Probably the biggest thing to remember is that the sun does the same damage to hair as it does to skin, says Darryl McNamara, president of the Otago Registered Hairdressing Association and owner of Aart on London.
This risk is increased as more people blonde or lighten their hair in summer.
"The process is to bleach it, so hair isn't in as good condition as normal hair. You need to protect it or it can cause frizzing, dryness or even snapping."
McNamara recommends using products with UVA and UVB protection.
"Salon products now have UV filters, which protect hair and lock in colour. It's an investment when you spend so much getting a colour done."
A timely reminder, as blonde will be big this summer, he says, with white blondes and also more natural warm blondes coming through.
Not so keen on going blonde? Try going lighter and warmer with coppery tones.
The effects of the sun and colouring your hair are not the only things to watch for.
Straighteners, which can heat to over 200degC, can cause damage.
"Use a good-quality heat protectant filter," says McNamara.
"If you're not protecting it, you're shattering your hair."
People need to ask for more advice from their stylists, he says.
"Ask as many questions as possible. They're a fountain of knowledge."
Find out what products are available at your salon or at specialist hair-care shops.
Many brands, such as Redken and Kerastase, offer complete ranges of sun-protectant products, from shampoos and conditioners through to more intensive after-sun masks.
