5 Tips To Avoid Sunburns on a Ski Vacation
People usually associate sunburn with long days on the beach, but you’re likely to experience sunburn on a ski slope without adequate protection. Guard your skin against damaging rays that cause painful sunburns and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Use these five tips to avoid sunburns on a ski vacation.
1. Cover Your Skin
Covering your skin protects it from sun damage, and you’ll want to cover as much of your skin as possible to stay warm. Dress in layers so you can adjust your outfit depending on how cold or warm you feel.
Ski garments can be made with sun-protective fabrics that provide special UV radiation protection from both UVB and UVA. Look for the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) to understand how much your clothing will reduce your exposure risk. For example, Snow Angel’s base layers with UPF 40+ offer an exceptional level of protection from UV rays.
2. Put On Sunscreen
Wearing sunscreen is essential for avoiding sunburns on a ski vacation. UV rays can penetrate the thin atmosphere at high elevations, and the rays reflect off the snow, increasing your exposure.
Choose a waterproof sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, depending on your skin type. Cream and lotion sunscreens provide more effective protection than spray sunscreens. Apply the sunscreen before you go outside and reapply at least every two hours.
3. Wear Sunglasses or Goggles
Sunglasses and ski goggles not only protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, but they also protect the delicate skin around your eyes from sunburn. Sunglasses reduce glare and are lightweight, and goggles provide more protection, less fog, and a wider field of vision.
Almost all goggles sold today filter out 99.9 percent of harmful UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. You can also get snow goggles with other special features, like polarized lenses that reduce sunlight glare on snow and water.
4. Use Lip Balm
Lip balm will protect your lips from the sun, wind, and cold. Broad-spectrum SPF lip balms protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. An SPF 30 lip balm provides adequate protection for most people.
As with sunscreen, apply lip balm before you step outside, and reapply periodically. Dry lips easily crack and burn, so don’t forget to keep lip balm in your pocket.
5. Be Cautious at Midday
Finally, if possible, avoid skiing during midday when the sun is at its strongest. Even if it’s a cloudy day, the sun’s rays penetrate through the clouds and elevate your chance of sunburn.
The EPA advises people to limit their sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., especially at higher altitudes. This doesn’t mean you can never be on the slopes during this time, but you should be especially aware of the elevated risk and take proper precautions.
Stay warm and covered with base layer thermals from Snow Angel. UPF 40+ protection prevents sunburn as you enjoy your winter outing. Shop today for your essential protective layers.