WARNING: NEVER Do These Six Things In The Sun...

Sun protection is important no matter what time of the year it is, but there’s no harm in being extra careful during the summer. The sun is a great source of vitamin D, but it also puts you at risk for all kinds of bad things when you’re out in it. Here are just some of the things you shouldn’t be doing in the sun.

1. Don’t apply sunscreen. Of course you should wear sunscreen, but applying it when you’re already out in the sun means you may have time to get burned while your sunscreen is taking effect. You should be applying your sunscreen 15-30 minutes before you go into the sun. You can reapply outdoors, of course, and if you do forget to apply before you’re in the sun, applying it late is better than nothing.
2. Don’t leave your sunscreen in the sun. Leaving that plastic bottle in the heat is just going to bake out its effectiveness. If you have it with you at the beach, keep it in your bag or your cooler. If you have it at home, keep it in your fridge.
3. Don’t forget to reapply. If you reapply regularly (every two hours) you can get the most out of your sunscreen. If you burn easily already and you forget to reapply, you’re probably going to burn pretty quickly.
4. Don’t forget about your scalp. If you wear a regular part in your hair, make sure you have a powdered mineral sunscreen on hand, or you dilute sunscreen with water in a spray bottle. This way your scalp can remain protected without it looking to greasy.
5. Don’t run outside when it’s too hot. The extra heat makes your body work extra hard to keep its temperature regular. Not only that, but you get dehydrated more quickly, you’re pretty likely to sweat off your sunscreen, and you could end up overheated. So limit your summer runs to the early morning or the evening, so as not to catch the sun in its peak hours. ##MN_RESP##
6. Don’t forget your sunglasses. Leaving your eyes unprotected has the same effect as skipping sunscreen. You’re putting yourself at higher risk of cataracts and eye cancer, especially since your eyelids are pretty terrible at protecting your eyes.

Which of these are you guilty of?