Gardening - Q&A: Preventing Sunburn

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Q&A: Preventing Sunburn

Question: As a gardener, I spend lots of time in the sun. I'm worried about the health effects of this much exposure. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: Some exposure to sunlight is revitalizing to the body and spirit, as well as a source of vitamin D, but too much of a good thing can result in anywhere from first- to second-degree burns in the near term to the possibility of skin cancer in the longer term. The solutions to preventing sunburn are relatively obvious, the difficult part is carrying them out. It's just too easy to run out the door. Try to do the right things as often as possible. For instance, avoid the brightest time of day, from about 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Don't be fooled by cloudy or hazy days, as 80 percent of the sun's ultraviolet rays pass through clouds. Wear a large-brimmed hat that will protect both your neck and face. Loosely woven straw hats protect yet readily allow heat to escape. Wear long sleeves and long pants if you can tolerlate them, otherwise apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher to all exposed skin. Reapply every three to four hours if you're perspiring heavily. Apply a sun protection product specifically designed for lips, too. To protect your eyes, wear sunglasses that provide ultraviolet (UV) light protection. Long-term exposure to sunlight has been linked with cataracts and macular degeneration.

Content provided by the National Gardening Association