Imagine this, you've enjoyed a lovely day in the sun and protected yourself against UV by using sunscreen and protective clothing, but that night in front of the mirror you notice your face is red in places you didn't expect and your neck and shoulders have red lines. You realize that you've applied sunscreen on your arms and legs, even on your face, but you're still sunburnt in certain areas! You let out a frustrated sigh. "Next time I'll do even better!"
July is UV Safety Awareness month. With this article, I'll shed some sunlight on commonly forgotten areas of your body, based on personal experience. Staying safe in the sun takes quite some effort. Sometimes you realize too late you've forgotten something. I hope this information helps remind you of those areas that are often left unprotected.
The spots you can't see
We often apply and protect the areas we can see. We check if everything has been covered by sunscreen by using our eyes. But there are areas we can't see, but the sun sure can.
Think about the nose. It's there, but often forgotten. Even though it's right between the eyes, I often spot people with bright red noses! Another facial feature that's often forgotten? The ears! It's important to apply sunscreen to them, as they're often exposed even when wearing a cap. Remember to apply to the top of the ears as well as the earlobes.
Then we have the back of our legs. Our calves and the back of your knees. They're always behind us, but when the sun's behind, they'll get the brunt of UV rays when wearing shorts, swimwear, or summer dresses. The same goes for ankles and the back of your feet!
The spots that don't feel like skin
You might wear sunglasses because they look good or they protect you from the glare. But they have another use. They protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes from UV. You can't apply sunscreen to eyes and eyelids, so sunglasses are the perfect way to protect them.
If you're not wearing a cap or a sunhat, it's good to remind yourself that your scalp might not be hidden from the sun. For the beautifully bald among us this is especially important, but also for those with thinning hair or for those that have a clear hair parting. That skin can, and will, burn if not protected!
Last but not least, the lips. We often forget our lips, but they're also skin. You can get SPF lip balm which will protect them perfectly.
The gaps in your armour
So you've applied and worn UPF clothing, and still you notice red lines on your body. Frustrating! Where clothing or accessories meet skin is often a point where not enough sunscreen was applied. Clothing moves around a bit, shifting a few millimeters here and there. The result? Burnt skin.
Think about the line between your shirt and your neck/shoulders, between your watchband and wrist, or between socks and lower legs or ankles. My advice is to always apply without having the item on (if possible) or apply underneath the item as well. This way you increase the protection in the gaps.
Another area where there can be a gap is with sunglasses. Small sunglasses protect a smaller area. Consider buying a larger pair for those high UV days.
Often used, but often forgotten
Our hands. We use our hands every day, for almost every task. However, hands can burn too, UV damage can build up over time.
The tricky thing with hands is that we also wash them. When we're preparing food, visiting the toilet, or after working in the garden. Washing hands reduces the effectiveness of the sunscreen applied to them. Take extra care to re-apply sunscreen on your hands!
A handy checklist to safely enjoy the sun
Here's a handy checklist you can print out and stick on your mirror. Or get it tattooed on your forehead, but I wouldn't recommend it!
- Nose
- Ears
- Eyes
- Lips
- Scalp
- Back of your legs
- Ankles and the back of your feet
- The line between your shirt and skin
- Your hands. High-five!
And when in doubt, apply.