It is one thing to get a suntan but ultraviolet light can also give us and our kids a severe burn. The most common source of ultraviolet light to which you are likely to be exposed is the sun. Under normal circumstances, the risk posed by the rays of the sun is likely to be limited as (for example) you are only out in it for less than an hour or two every day, and you are fully clothed as well.
It is nevertheless a fact that for most people, a vacation almost always involves getting out in the sunshine, which significantly increases the risk of suffering sunburn. The fact is, the majority of pale skinned Westerners are simply not designed to stay out in the sun for extended periods of time, so if this description fits, it is an extremely important factor that you must pay heed to.
The safest and easiest way of avoiding sunburn is of course to avoid the sun altogether. However, assuming that there are certain times when this is not something that you really want to do, it is absolutely essential that you take appropriate precautions to avoid getting burned.
For example, the sun is at its hottest between the hours of 10am and 4am, meaning that it makes sense to avoid going out in the sunshine during these hours. There is far less likelihood of the misery of sunburn if you go out earlier or later rather than risking the full heat of the day.
Instead, sit in the shade with an ice cold drink in front of you and watch the world go by as the chances are that you will find this every bit as relaxing as sunbathing.
And even if you do get outside before or after the sun is at its hottest, you should use protective creams or lotions at a minimum (protective clothing is even better) and you must always wear a protective hat as well.
At the same time, you should also be aware that the majority of commercially produced sun protection products contain potentially harmful chemicals such as titanium dioxide (which the International Agency for Cancer Research suggest is a possible human carcinogen), and that this even applies to specialized sun protection products that are sold as ‘baby' suntan lotions!
If therefore you want to get out in the sun but minimize the risk of getting burned whilst doing so, I would recommend that you use only a natural sun protection product which you know does not contain potentially harmful chemicals.
