Some tips for the Sun

[AllenF]

People who live up North and the South do not realize sometimes the difference between the sun they get up there and the sun we get here in the south or carribean. An example of this is my wifes neices came to visit us a few weeks ago their from Ohio so we took them to the beach for a few days. I told them to put on 30 spf body and 50 spf on there faces a good 30 minutes before we went on the beach they laughed and said we only use 8spf at home, I said well your not at home and they did not listen. we spent the 1st day on the beach they got burned my wife and I did not. The second day my wife and I spent on the beach they did not. The closer you get to the equator the hotter the sun will be so the sun in carribean will be hotter than the sun here in SC. I have lived and learned about sunburn being that I have lived in the south all my life. Always put sunscreen on at least 30 minutes before you go out in the sun THAT IS A MUST. Never wait to put in on at the beach why because by the time you get there your hot sweaty and you can get sand mixed into the lotion very easy I personally hate that to have my 1st coat of sunscreen mixed with sand LOL also by letting it soak in for 30 minutes it penetrates your skin better and you have a better base. 2nd you can never put on enough sunscreen there is no such thing as too much. Apply it after swimming after you have dried off not while you are still wet. TRy to avoid the Killer sun hours which is between 12pm and 2 pm we hit the beach early around 9am.....take a break around 12 and then come back after 1 or 2 hrs and try not to have more than 5 direct hrs of sun in 1 day. Now i know sometimes you cant leave the beach so take a umbrella that you can have some shade with ,you can buy decent beach umbrellas at any beach shop for not that much. Now on a cruise it is not easy to have a personal umbrella but many places have shade so take advantage of it during peak sun hrs if you are fair skinned. Also think about getting a pre tan before you cruise at a tanning salon so you will not expose fresh white skin to the carribean heat. I hope some of this helps those of you who are not use to the hot sun of the south and the carribean because sunburn sucks if your on vacation

[halos]

I'm not quite so sure it isn't a factor of how close you are to WATER,

 

We live in Maine now, but grew up in Philly. When I lived in Philly, I never needed sun block to go out of the house and sit outdoors for any length of time...if we went to the Jersey shore and I spent any time outdoors, I'd fry

(let me emphasize that I am NOT by any means fair). Now we live in coastal Maine and on Memorial Day I drove to the beach. Because I already had a pretty good base from being outdoors gardening and walking the dog a couple miles every day, I figured since I was only going to be at the beach for 2 hours, I wouldn't need a sunblock...I'm Italian after all!!

Well, I am a dumb Italian!!

My DD and I laid in the sand for 2 hours...between the hours of 10 and 12. My back was SO burned that I peeled. I haven't had a 'peel' burn since I was a kid...because most of the time I use common sense and wear sunblock.

SO...moral of the story is that the sun is bad no matter where you are, but it is ESPECIALLY bad when you are near water...which means your whole cruise.

 

SO...if you are cruising to New England/Canada, the same rules for wearing sunblock apply!!!! The sun sure feels hotter closer to the Equator, but it is just as dangerous up north...maybe even MORE so because you DON"T feel the heat as bad and don't realize the damage that is being done!!OH yeah...I just also remembered that an example of this was my teenaged neice who got sun poison while visiting us 2 summers ago. Her Mom told her to put on the sunblock...of course she thought she knew more than her Mom and didn't listen. Many oatmeal baths and lots of tylenol and aloe later...she bagan to be able to get her clothes back on without pain.....

[AllenF]

That is a very good point Halos sun does reflect off water and sand and will intensify the effect. Bottom line is be prepared no matter where you are Maine, SC or on a cruise ship and take the steps to avoid the dreaded burn. I just know 95 to 100 degree weather with high humidity was not what my neices were use to and paid the price so make sure to protect your skin where ever you are.:)

[Ryanne]

Also...even ladies should wear a hat as much as possible....a sunburned scalp is easy to get, especially if you wear your hair up.

[jp2001]

The worst sunburns I got (yes, we can get sunburn even in Canada :) ) were on windy days. Sometimes, it is really not that warm because of the wind coming from North but the sun does its effect no matter of how cold it is but because you don't feel the warm, you don't put sunblock. Now I learned my lesson, as soon as I don't wear my long sleeves, I wear sunblock.

[Terre]

I think a lot has to do with your skin color, too. I tan easy and don't need sun screen here, but like the others said, when I'm at the beach or near water, I get sun quicker and wear the sun screen for protection. My DH is fair skinned and can't stay in the sun anywhere for very long before he burns.

I was born and raised in the South and I've never "burned" no matter how long I stayed in the sun and I usually don't wear any sun screen around here. I do, however, wear sun screen when we go to Florida or the Caribbean because I know that the "tropical" sun is a lot different than the sun in NC.

There are a lot of geographical factors, though. In the South, we are outside more because our spring begins in March or April and our fall lasts well into October; we cook out (or barbeque) year round and are just outside more of the year than our Northern neighbors, making us a little more "sun tough".

Using sun screen is still very good advice.:D