7 Incredible Sun Myths and Facts That You Must Know

Summertime is meant for everyone to have the best adventures in life. The sun shines at its best during this season, while you are having road trips and fun in the beach with family and friends. However, summertime can also place numerous dangers to the body because it is also the season for heat-related illnesses such heat strokes, sunburns and heat exhaustion.

With the tips that we offer you, learn how to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun. In this article, we will show must-know facts about the sun so that you will be aware of your health risks and further learn how to avoid them.

You don’t have to fear the sun; we made a list of sun myths and facts for you.

#1 Myth

Natural sunshine can give you a safe tan.

Fact: There’s no such thing as a safe tan. If you spend most of your time in the sun, you expose your skin to the damaging UV rays. A tanned skin is damaged skin, and it raises your risk for skin cancer.

#2 Myth

Sunscreen provides enough sun protection for the skin.

Fact: All kinds of sunscreen won’t provide enough sun protection for your skin. Sunscreen is not a suitable armor and should be used with other ways of protecting yourself from the sun’s harmful rays.

#3 Myth

Skin cancer is a less serious form of cancer because it can easily be eliminated.

Fact: Skin cancer is a very serious illness and treatment isn’t always as easy as what you think. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. It can travel to all parts of your body, making it difficult to treat.

#4 Myth

Skin cancer only affects fair-skinned people.

Fact: Skin cancer affects people with all skin types. Did you know that Bob Marley died from his untreated melanoma that has spread to his brain?

#5 Myth

Skin cancer only occurs in older people.

Fact: Skin cancer can affect people of all ages. Anyone can get skin cancer if they have high sun exposure.

#6 Myth

Skin cancer is caused by sunburns.

Fact: You don’t need to get sunburn to develop skin cancer.  Skin cancer occurs when the skin cells are damaged from too much exposure to UV rays from the sun. Sunburn increases the risk even more because of severe damage it brings to skin cells.

#7 Myth

You need sun exposure to get your daily requirements of vitamin D.

Fact:  It’s unsafe to seek extra sunlight to cope up with vitamin D levels. Most of us get enough UV exposure to maintain vitamin D levels through our usual outdoor activities. Talk to your medical doctor if you are concerned about your vitamin D levels.

So, there you have it, the sun facts and myths that you should know. Happy summer vacation!

-Medical Observer