At one time or another we have all faced the consequences of exposure to the suns’ harmful rays in order to participate in our favorite water activities—including boating, snorkeling, skiing, tubing etc.  These consequences are relatively small at first but can result in life altering complications.

Simply put, sunburn is a burn on the skin due to ultraviolet radiation causing inflammation of the skin—this can begin within just 30 minutes of exposure.  There are two types of ultraviolet rays produced by the sun: Ultraviolet A (Long wave, UVA) and Ultraviolet B (Short wave, UVB). Both UVA and UVB are responsible for photoaging (a premature aging of the skin and wrinkles) as well as sunburn. The UVB rays cause the most damage to our skin and put us at a higher risk for skin cancer. Not all UV radiation is harmful, in fact, normal exposure to the suns’ rays produce beneficial vitamin D.

It’s important to not let a fear of sunburn and/or exposures keep us out of the water. Follow these preventative measures to avoid sunburn and its harmful effects:

Avoid sun exposure during  peak hours of 10 am to 2 pm

Wear a wide brimmed hat, long sleeved shirt and pants as well as sunglasses with UV protection

ALWAYS wear sunblock, paying careful attention to the sun protector factor (SPF) in the product.

 The higher the SPF number, the more protection the sun-blocking agent may have. The SPF is the ration of time it takes for skin to produce a reaction on protected and un-protected skin. In theory, an SPF of 30 should allow an individual to remain exposed to the sun 30 times longer than an individual with no sun protection. The SPF is affected by length of exposure, time of day, geographic location and weather conditions.

Next time you head out to soak up some rays on your Monterey, remember to follow our preventative tips! Have a homemade sunburn remedy that you use to soothe your sunburns? Let us know in our comments section or head on over to our Monterey Boats Facebook Page!