6 Sun Protection myths dispelled

June 20th, 2018 · Published to News by Steve Lewis

Australians are always looking for ways to protect themselves from the sun. And there’s a good reason behind this too – it’s because Australia experiences abnormally high UV radiation. Excessive exposure to the sun’s UV radiation is the primary cause of melanoma skin cancer.

It’s important to do everything you can to protect yourself from the sun, but you must know what’s effective and what isn’t. Unfortunately, there are too many sun protection myths floating around. As a manufacturer of shade products, today I will dispel some of these common myths for you.

So, continue reading as I debunk some common sun protection myths. Make sure not to fall trap to these myths.

1. You don’t need sun protection if it’s cloudy

This is probably the most common myth floating around. Most people will tell you that you don’t need sun protection if it’s cool, cloudy or windy. However, let me tell you that the sun’s UV radiation can penetrate clouds and reach the earth. So, even if its windy, cloudy and cool, you still need sun protection.

2. UV radiation only occurs when the sun is at its strongest

While this is not completely a myth, it is also not completely correct. UV radiation occurs throughout the day and not just when the sun is at its strongest. However, do note that the UV radiation is the highest when the sun is overhead.

3. Tanning lotions will protect you from the sun

This couldn’t be any farther from the truth. A tanning lotion will do nothing to protect your skin from the sun unless it is a sunscreen as well. So, make sure to stay away from tanning lotions unless they have an SPF rating of 30 or higher.

4. You don’t need sun protection under glass

While you may not get sunburnt under glass, do understand that UV radiation can easily pass through glass. So, even if you’re indoors but sunlight reaches you through glass windows, you need sun protection. Outdoor PVC blinds and awnings can help keep the sun out of windows.

5. You need to apply sunscreen once before leaving home

Again, this is a very common myth floating around. But don’t fall prey to it as no sunscreen is 100% effective. A sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher will only protect you for a couple of hours or so. It is recommended that you slip, slap and slop your sunscreen once every two hours, wherever you are.

6. You don’t need sun protection if you use sunscreen

This is also a very big myth which you should be wary of. Even if you use a high-quality sunscreen more than once a day, you need additional sun protection. Wear sunglasses and a hat when out in the sun and try to seek shade wherever possible.

Sun protection is no joke – it is something that you need to consider very seriously. While you must adopt sun protection measures for yourself, you must also protect your home or workplace and your family, employees or customers. That’s why you should invest in shade structures, such as those we offer at Global Shade. Our shade products are made out of top grade shade fabrics that offer up to 99% UV protection.

Conclusion:

Australia experiences abnormally high UV levels and people are always looking to protect themselves from the sun. However, there are plenty of sun protection myths around. Some of the most common myths include that you don’t need sun protection if its cloudy, UV radiation only occurs when the sun is overhead, tanning lotions will protect you from the sun, you don’t need sun protection under glass, you need to apply sunscreen once before leaving home and you don’t need sun protection if you use sunscreen.

Always make sure that you’re completely protected from the sun. The best way is through a combination of sunscreen along with shade structures. This way, you’ll ensure that you and people around you are protected.

And, for all your shade structure needs, consider us at Global Shade. Contact us to learn more about our shade structures today!