It's the last month of summer, a time when many get careless about sun protection. I want to remind you to stay vigilant. Strong, healthy skin is essential to staying beautiful as you age.
Besides applying sunblock religiously, re-applying it every few hours, and limiting your sun exposure from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., here are further hints for keeping the sun at bay.
Buying Tips for Sunglasses
The sun's radiation can cause: 
- Cataracts
- Benign growths on the eye's surface
- Cancer of the eyelids and skin around the eyes
- Photokeratitis, sometimes called "snow blindness," a temporary, but painful sunburn of the eye's surface.
Sunglasses are the first line of defense against these dangers. Here are some tips from the American Optometric Association for buying sunglasses:
- At a minimum, look for sunglasses that block at least 99% of UVA and UVB radiation and screen out 75% to 90% of visible light.
- To be sure the lenses block enough light, try them on in front of a mirror. If you can see your eyes easily through the lenses, they probably are not dark enough.
Note: This test does not apply to photochromic (light-sensitive) lenses.
- To make sure UV labels are accurate —
- Buy sunglasses where equipment is available to check the lenses' UV protection capabilities.
- Ask your optometrist for his or her opinion on a specific purchase. Return glasses that are substandard.
- When buying driving sunglasses, get a gray tint. Gray allows for proper traffic light recognition.
- Be aware that while Polarized sunglasses combat glare, they do not offer any additional UV protection.
- Find sunglasses that wrap all the way around to your temples so the sun's rays can't enter from the side.
Eating for Sun Protection
The outer skin (epidermis) comprises only 20 percent of the skin. The layers underneath (dermis) are the other 80 percent. Your vulnerability to sun damage in these deeper layers can be lessened by ingesting certain foods and supplements.
- Astaxanthin – Astaxanthin is a super antioxidant that guards against UV-light photo-oxidation of skin lipids.
- Carotenoids – A pigment found in fruits and vegetables that protects them from the sun's harmful rays. Find them in dark green leafy vegetables such as brocolli,
kale, collards, and brussels sprouts.
- Dark chocolate – The flavanoids in dark chocolate absorb UV rays.
- Olive oil – Repairs damaged skin and protects against skin cancer.
- Teas – Black, white and green teas all contain epigallocatechins (EGCGs), shown to block DNA damage from UV light.
- Tomatoes – Tomato sauce, especially, is full of lycopene, which has been shown to provide protection from UV
 light. Lycopene is also found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, apricots, papaya, guava and most pinkish fruits.
- Omega-3s – These fatty acids are incredibly important for overall health, and are now believed to be important in inhibiting a range of human cancers, including melanoma (skin cancer). Omega-3s are available in fish oil, krill oil, algae oil, and, to a lesser
extent in things such as chiaseed, flax seed, hemp seed and pumpkin seed. The marine-based omega-3s are the most efficient.
- Pomegranate – In one study, pomegranate extract boosted the effectiveness of topical sunscreen by 20-25 percent.
When Sunburn Strikes – Ease the Pain
Finally, if you or your child does get sunburned, here are some things you can do to ease the pain:
- Place cool wet cloths on the burned area.
- Take a tepid bath.
- Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- Apply aloe vera ointment.
- Apply one percent hydrocortisone cream twice a day (to decrease inflammation).
- Stay indoors.
Blistering indicates severe, or second-degree, sunburn.
- If the blistered area is very small (coin-sized), treat it exactly the way you'd treat a minor sunburn.
- Do not pop the blister.
- If the blisters cover a larger area of skin, see a doctor.
RED FLAGS for Dehydration
If you or your child experiences:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
Seek urgent medical care for dehydration.
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