Being safe in the sun

Nobody wants to stay inside when the sun’s shining. So when you’re outside, using a little SunSense can protect you and your family from getting too much sun.

If you can, plan your outdoor activities before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m., when the sun is not at its strongest, or any time of the day when the UV Index is 3 or less.

If your shadow is shorter than you, it’s time to find some shade or go inside. If you can’t find shade, create your own. Take along an umbrella – that way you can have shade wherever you need it.

Cover up

One of the best ways to protect yourself from the sun is to cover up.

Choose clothing that is loose fitting, tightly woven and lightweight.
Wear a hat with a wide brim that covers your head, face, ears and neck. Hats like baseball caps won't give you enough protection. Many skin cancers happen on the face and neck. These areas need extra protection.
Put sunscreen on your ears, chin and neck even when you’re wearing a hat.

Wear your sunglasses

Sunglasses can help prevent damage to your eyes by blocking a large amount of UV rays. Keep your shades on and make sure your children wear them too. Sunglasses don't have to be expensive to be effective, but make sure you choose ones with:

even shading
medium to dark lenses (grey, brown or green tint)
UVA and UVB protection

Use sunscreen properly

How to choose sunscreen
Sunscreen absorbs UV rays and prevents them from penetrating the skin. Sunscreens are available with a sun protection factor (SPF) ranging from 2 to at least 100.

Use an SPF of 15 or higher, and if you work outdoors or are planning to be outside most of the day, use an SPF 30.
Make sure the product offers both UVA and UVB protection (usually labelled “broad-spectrum”).
If you’re in the water, make sure your sunscreen is water-resistant.

Sun protection factor (SPF)
Sunscreens are rated by the strength of their SPF. The SPF tells you the product’s ability to screen or block out the sun’s UVB rays.

SPF 15 sunscreen blocks 93% of UVB rays. Sunscreen with SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays. Make sure you use a “broad-spectrum” sunscreen, which will help protect your skin from UVA rays too. All sunscreens allow some UV rays to penetrate your skin, but broad spectrum will give you the best protection.

How to use sunscreen

Apply a generous amount of sunscreen to clean, dry skin at least 20 minutes before you go out to allow the active ingredients to soak into your skin. Don’t forget your ears, nose, neck, any bald spots and the tops of your feet.
Use an SPF 15 sunscreen lip balm and reapply when needed. Your lips need protection too.
Follow the instructions for reapplying your sunscreen, especially after swimming or sweating.
Don’t forget to apply sunscreen on cloudy days and during the winter months.
Try different sunscreens until you find one that works best for you. Talk to your pharmacist if you need help in choosing a sunscreen.

Working outside

If you work outdoors, your exposure to the sun may be much more frequent and prolonged. To protect yourself, cover up, wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection, and wear a broad spectrum sunscreen. Because your exposure is higher than most people, use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Don’t use indoor tanning beds

Just like the sun, tanning beds and sun lamps release UV rays that can cause sunburn, damage skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.

Know the signs of skin cancer

Most skin cancers can be cured if they’re caught early enough.

Check your skin regularly. Make sure that you or someone else checks “hard-to-get-at” places such as your back, back of your neck and ears and backs of your legs.

What to watch for:

any change in a birthmark or a mole that changes shape, colour, size or surface
any new growth on your skin – pale, pearly nodules that may grow larger and crust, or red, scaly, sharply defined patches
any sore that doesn’t heal
any patch of skin that bleeds, oozes, swells, itches or becomes red and bumpy

If you notice changes or are confused about what you should be looking for, ask your doctor for help.