National
Don't Fry Day
This Friday is national Don’t Fry Day, reminding everyone to be careful not to burn this Memorial Day weekend. While it is important to avoid burning your skin, it’s also important to get sun exposure for vitamin D and all the other good things the sun does for us!
Let us give you some tips on safe and healthy sun exposure:
- Get the right amount for you. Every person has different
skin. We all live in different places. We all need different exposure
times. We recommend you expose your naked skin for half the time it takes
to turn pink. This way, you won’t burn and you’ll produce vitamin D. This
amount of time is going to be different for everyone.
- The more skin you can expose,
the more vitamin D you will produce. Don’t settle for exposing just your legs and arms.
Take your shirt off or wear your bathing suit if you can! This way, you
can produce much more vitamin D in a shorter amount of time. Again, don’t
bake! Follow the first principal.
- Don’t use sunscreen. Sunscreen doesn’t allow your
body to produce as much vitamin D as it wants to. Plus, sunscreen has not
been shown to prevent all types of skin cancers.
- Cover up. Got a little sun exposure?
Good. Now cover up with clothing or shade. It’s important not to burn! If
you must use sunscreen after a little naked sun exposure, sunscreen that
blocks both UVA and UVB is recommended.
Now you’re all set to be safe and produce some vitamin D this
weekend and summer!
This information comes from the Vitamin D Council by Dr. John
Cannell
