Anyone who spends hours most days in the surf should be aware of the damage the sun can do to your skin. In Malibu, as you know many can surf for long periods of time! Consciously applying a good sunscreen will help to protect your skin from the damaging UV rays of the sun. Here are some tips for surfers on buying and applying sunscreen to get the most protection.
Surfers can often spend a couple of hours out on the water, without noticing the passage of time. All you think about is the next wave. It’s when you come home and notice the red sections of burnt skin that you start to worry. Remember the water and white sand both act as reflectors to the sun, meaning that the sun’s rays hit you coming down from the sun and as they are reflected back up from the water and the sand. This is why you can get burnt quicker on the beach and in the surf.
What Type of Sunscreen?
There are two types of UV rays, and you need to choose a sunscreen that will protect your skin from both types. UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, causing wrinkles and other long-term damage. UVB rays affect the upper layer of skin and are the most common cause of skin cancer. To protect against both types of UV rays, you should purchase a broad spectrum sunscreen.
The higher the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating, the better the sunscreen is. Go for at least 30 SPF when purchasing sunscreen.
The choice between gels, creams, lotions, pump sprays, aerosol and roll on sunscreens is up to you. They are basically just different ways of applying the sunscreen. You may even want a combination of sunscreen types, a cream or lotion to apply to large spaces of skin and a roll on for places like your lips and eyelids.
Relying on sunscreen in moisturizers or make-up is not a good idea, because you will not apply enough to get the protection you need.
How to Apply the Sunscreen
The important factor is to apply sunscreen as per the directions on the bottle and to make sure you put enough on. For surfers and beach goers in Malibu and anywhere, it is important to check how the sunscreen reacts to water or the water resistance. If it is not very water resistant, it will wash off and you will need to apply it far more often.
You need about 35ml of sunscreen per adult body which works out at a teaspoonful per limb, to get the full SPF protection given on the bottle. If you apply a sunscreen with only half of that recommended application rate, your protection is halved. An SPF 15 sunscreen can be reduced to SPF 7, which will mean it will protect you for a lot less time than you thought it would.
Make sure you apply the sunscreen all over. Any parts of skin you miss will be affected directly by the sun for the length of time you are at the beach and in the sun.
Parts Surfers Commonly Miss
Surfers will often slap on some sunscreen on their faces, but tend to miss the backs of their necks and their ears, especially the tops of the ears. Blisters here are extremely painful. Studies have shown that lips, eyelids, the area around the eyebrows and the area between your eyes and nose are most commonly missed when anyone applies sunscreen on their face. Pay extra attention to these areas before hitting the waves in Malibu.
Surfers also must consider what parts of their bodies are not protected by their bodysuits. Feet and ankles are common areas for surfers to discover skin cancer later in life, because it is easy to miss applying sunscreen here. Remember that when you are paddling in the water, the soles of your feet are often pointed up towards the sky and receive direct sunlight. When riding the wave, the tops of your feet receive the direct sunlight. Your feet and ankles should be well protected with good sunscreen.
Another area surfers commonly miss is the backs of their hands and underside of arms if their bodysuit is short sleeve. Both of these areas receive direct sunlight when paddling your surfboard in the water.
Take care of your skin now and you’ll enjoy many more years in the sun and in the surf. Avoid skin cancer by applying sunscreen every time you go surfing. Reapply the sunscreen every two hours for the best protection. Catch waves, not skin cancer.
