Summer is rapidly approaching. Depending on where in the country you live, you may already be experiencing some summer-like conditions. Regardless, temperatures are heating up, humidity is rising, and the sun seems just a little bit brighter.
Weather like this tends to draw people out of their homes and into the outdoors.
There are countless activities that spike in popularity this time of year and in the coming months. There’s boating, hanging out at the beach, fishing, surfing, barbecues, cycling, hiking, mountain biking…literally, the list could go on forever.
While these activities and the outdoor lifestyle is good for the mind and soul, it can be very damaging to the body. Failure to take proper precautions when in the sun can be both painful and deadly.
Sure, we all long for the “golden days” when beachgoers would spend days on end enjoying the sand, saltwater and sun rays…only to head home with a golden tan. Sadly, those days are over. Maybe it never really was like that (but who could tell when there was only black and white photography and the questionable reliability of aging memories), but it sure looked that way in movies and on travel brochures!
In today’s world, we are equipped with more information than ever before. That is a good thing for certain. But that access and knowledge also gives us more to think about, worry about, and stress about. More importantly, however, knowledge gives us the opportunity to prepare and protect ourselves.
While the sun’s rays give us the warmth and energy we all need to survive, it also emits UVA and UVB rays, which are extremely harmful in large doses. These forms of ultraviolet rays are both dangerous, but for different reasons.
UVB rays easily penetrate the ozone layer — long considered a protective shield — and beat down on the Earth’s surface and the people upon it. These are the rays that result in sun tanning and burning. UVB rays also cause skin cancer.
In fact, more than 90% of skin cancer cases are a direct result of overexposure to the sun. There are various types of skin cancer, but the most lethal is melanoma. Fortunately, it is the least common of all skin cancer, making up only about 1% of all diagnoses in the U.S. each year. However, that is still nearly 100,000 new cases annually. Melanoma also takes the lives of more than 7,000 Americans every year. And, again, the overwhelming majority of these cases are caused by the sun.
So, what is the purpose of this blog? Is it to scare you back indoors? Is it to create panic and an irrational fear of the sun?
Of course not.
In fact, experts agree that, on average, people should get about a half hour of direct, mid-day day sun several times per week, to ensure they have the appropriate amount of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D can be absorbed through the skin and is absolutely essential for your overall health. Vitamin D plays a vital role in calcium consumption in our bodies, which makes it an extremely important factor in our bone health.
The other harmful ultraviolet ray produced by the sun is UVAB. These rays cause premature aging of the skin. Sun spots, wrinkles, weathered appearance…these are all examples of skin damage caused by UVB rays.
Again, the point is not to scare you into the shade, but to hammer home the importance of protecting your skin — and health — and ensuring that you have nothing but fun in the sun.
So, how do we accomplish this? For starters, wear protective clothing and monitor how much time you’re actually in the sun.
But the easiest way to minimize your risks of overexposure to the sun’s harmful rays and the long-term damage they cause is to wear men’s sunscreen when going outdoors. We’ll start by saying that wearing any men’s sunscreen is better than wearing no men’s sunscreen. However, like anything else in this world, some are better than others.
When it comes to men’s sunscreen, the key is determining what your needs are, including how long you typically plan on being under the sun. This may seem like common sense, but the point is, men’s sunscreen is not “one size fits all.”
For example, some considerations include how active you typically are when you’re outdoors.
Why is this important?
Well, the more active you are, the more you’ll sweat. You need to know this because when you sweat, your perspiration tends to take your men’s sunscreen with it, which means frequent reapplication is required. This can not only be annoying — having to stop every so often — but also difficult if you are in places where applying men’s sunscreen is not a simple task or if your attire is not ideally suited for carrying a bottle or tube of men’s sunscreen.
Jacket sunscreen is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. That means you can go all out, in any conditions, for nearly an hour and a half. You can sweat…get wet…and Jacket will still keep you protected.
You also want to be sure your men’s sunscreen is powerful enough to shield you from as much of the sun’s harmful rays as possible. The higher the SPF (sun protection factor), the more rays it blocks. While no sunscreen will block 100% of ultraviolet rays, those with an SPF of 50 or higher block 98%.
Jacket sunscreen has an SPF of 50, so it truly provides maximum protection. It is also a broad spectrum men’s sunscreen, which means it blocks both UVA and UVB rays.
Another very important consideration is what ingredients are in your sunscreen. It seems a little foolish to wear a sunscreen that, although capable of protecting you from the sun’s harmful rays, is actually damaging your skin with harmful chemical…no?
Look for sunscreens that use natural ingredients. This provides the same level of protection, but is better for your skin and overall health.
Jacket is made with natural products and antioxidants such as green tea, pomegranate extract, cucumber extract, aloe, sunflower oil, and various vitamins. Not only are these not harmful ingredients, they actually hydrate, soothe and repair your skin.