During the summer months, the UV index in Austin peaks at midday. However, campus lawns and pools are packed with students in swimsuits and textbooks. While tanning may be fun, every minute in the sun without proper skin protection could lead to serious damage.
“The health risks specific to skin come from being out in the sun too much, going out and sitting in the sun for multiple consecutive hours at a high UV, … and then your skin burns, (which puts you at) higher risk for other health diseases,” said Sarah Frey, manager for Prevention and Well-being at the Longhorn Wellness Center.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, overexposure to UV rays is linked to skin cancer, premature aging and eye damage. For these reasons, it’s essential to protect your skin when spending extended periods in the sun.
“I feel like the majority of people are aware of (the risks), but they may not be aware of how bad (they) could actually get,” biochemistry sophomore Lauren Jonas said. “People might be informed, but they don’t take it seriously.”
While people may be aware of the possibility that overexposure to UV rays could damage their skin, awareness alone isn’t enough. Real sun damage stories remind us why it’s imperative to protect our skin.
“During lifeguard certification class, we were out in the sun from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., which is peak sun hours, … and I was completely burnt everywhere,” Jonas said. “My whole body was inflamed.”
Though Jonas said she reapplied three times, she forgot to check the expiration date on her sunscreen. It was ineffective because it expired, resulting in severe burns.
Right before my freshman year of high school, I went to Seaside, Florida, for a week. I thought I could get a nice Florida tan before school started, so I skipped out on sunscreen on the first day. After being in the sun for around three hours, my entire body, particularly my shoulders, turned bright red and were hot to the touch. Not only that, but my face burned so badly that my skin was bubbling and blistering around my nose. From that moment forward, I have not skipped sunscreen, nor have I skipped reapplying because of how painful the experience was.
These experiences demonstrate why sun protection is so important, and there are many ways to do so. Frey advises students to check the UV index to gauge how quickly they may burn, apply sunscreen 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every two hours, seeking shade when possible to give your skin a break and wearing UV protective clothing, sunglasses, a visor or a hat.
“Now there’s an expectation to be tan, and I have more confidence when I’m tan,” Jonas said. “Especially when some of my friends are like, ‘Do you want to go tan?’ Obviously, I’m going to say yes.”
While there may be expectations to be tan and sun-kissed, protecting your skin from the sun remains more important. When I know I’m going to be in the sun for a while, I make sure to apply sunscreen often and try to take breaks from sun exposure.
Summer in Texas won’t wait, and neither should your sunscreen. Take a few extra minutes before you step outside to protect your skin for years to come.
Cintron is a journalism freshman from Houston, Texas.
