It's normal to be spending a lot more time in the sun during the summer. This is especially true if you have children who like to spend a lot of time outdoors and in the water.
We are all aware of the harmful effects of sun exposure, whether it's premature aging, a painful sunburn, the risk of skin cancer, or even just an unhealthy obsession like the notorious Tan Mom.
Even though we know that tanning itself is unhealthy, there is something healthy looking about having a little color, especially if you're natural color is pale and sickly like me.
Accepting the risks of tanning for yourself is one thing, but allowing children to engage is another problem entirely.
According to The Guardian a recent study by the Met Office and NHS England revealed that not all parents are aware of the risks involved with being in the sun, and some even thought it was healthy.
The poll asked 1001 parents of children 16 and under, and sought to explore the awareness of parents to sun damage.
The idea was to get a sense of how often parents use sunscreen on their kids, and what their rules are for spending time in the sun.
The results were more disturbing than researchers probably guessed they would be.
It turns out 24% of the parents believed that sun exposure is good for kids, because it helps them build a 'resistance' to sunburn.
Ever worse, an astonishing 37% of parents said that they thought a sun tan on a child was actually a sign of good health.
While we can agree that a tan might look healthy, it's an example of how looks can be deceiving.
We should all know by now that there's nothing healthy about tanning; it's actually just the first visible sign that your body is trying to protect you from dangerous UV rays, according to Johns Hopkins.
Basically, if you get tan, your body is just trying to block UV radiation from penetrating your body. It doesn't mean that you are now protected from further sun damage.
Johns Hopkins also notes that UV rays are the strongest during the summer months, and especially between 10am and 4pm.
This means that it's even more important to protect yourself and your children from sun exposure during this time of year, when you just so happen to be outside the most.
Sun protection is even more important for your children than it is for you.
Children under the age of 18 are even more vulnerable overexposure to the sun than adults are, and it is also most damaging to the skin at this time, disproving the parents who thought that a tan is healthy.
Even though you may not feel the effects of the sun when it's cloudy, the UV rays can penetrate the clouds and your skin even if you can't see or feel them.
It's important to take sun protection measures even when it's overcast.
The best way to avoid sun damage is to stay out of direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
Of course, this isn't the most fun solution, which is why regularly applying sunscreen and wearing protective clothing is also recommended.
The stakes are even higher if children have fair skin, freckles, have had multiple severe sunburns and a family history of skin cancer.
Make sure to take all of the necessary precautions and enjoy the sun responsibly!
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