Beach skincare in Bermuda
For children and adullts
Do you know that till the age of 10, children's skins are most susceptible to damages and even cancer due to sun exposure. And this is the period when the skin health of a person largely gets determined. In fact most of the skin damages take place before one turns 18 years, and much of it is due to exposure to the Ultra Violet (UV) rays from the sun.
The worst skin cancer, Melanoma is mostly detected in persons within the age of 12-24. While a child's skin is tender and more sensitive to sun and can be damaged very easily, skin protection should be done by all particularly if you are planning to spend a lot of time in the beaches.
In Bermuda, the summer time can be quite hot and the UV radiation from the glaring sun can be quite damaging to the skin.
Bermuda Cancer and Health Center recommends the following five simple steps for all to protect their skin from sun, particularly while enjoying at the beaches:
Wear loose fit clothing that covers the skin as much as possible (use shirts with collars and longer sleeves). There are UV protection clothes available which are recommended in the beaches.
Carry some extra clothes at the beaches of Bermuda. Remember dry clothes protect skin better than the wet ones. Also wear darker color clothes (like green, blue or red) that are relatively better protective than the lighter colored ones.
Use broad spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 and above in Bermuda. They should be applied about 30 minutes before exposure to sun and then reapplied preferably every two hours. Do no forget to apply the sunscreen on all your exposed body parts like the neck and back side of the ears.
Use broad brimmed hat so that your face and neck are mostly covered. If you are wearing a baseball cap, apply extra sunscreen on your neck and behind ears.
This one is probably the most difficult practice to follow particularly if you are planning for beach activities during the day. But, this is probably the most effective for skincare in the beaches.
Try to avoid or minimize direct sun exposure during the peak sun time (between 10am and 4pm). This is when the UV radiation is at its peak. The rule to follow is: Do you see your own shadow? No shadow? Then go under shade. So the best practice is to plan your beach activities earlier in the morning or after the sun peak time is over.
Wear sunglasses that provide both UV-A and UV-B protections to your eyes. Children should wear wraparound UV protective sunglasses so that they stay in place.
Babies and toddlers have extremely sensitive skin. Babies under 6 months should not be given direct sun exposure. After six months of age, get them to wear light loose clothing covering their body as much as possible. Baby sunscreen should be used for kids and reapplied every two hours.
Also note that in some cases, the sunscreen themselves may have undesirable effects on the skin. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide based sunscreens are much more natural and safer than the others.
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Bermuda Health and Safety to understand all other areas of risks in Bermuda and the recommended mitigation measures.
