Lincoln Daily News 2026-27 Health & Wellness Magazine Pg.9 • Premature aging: Tanning accelerates wrinkles, dark spots, and loss of skin elasticity. • Sunburn: Even one severe burn can raise future skin cancer risk. • Eye damage: UV exposure can contribute to cataracts and other eye problems. For time outdoors, the safer approach is to use broad-spectrum sunscreen, wear protective clothing, seek shade, and avoid peak UV hours. Indoor tanning is not a safer alternative. Tanning beds and sunlamps also use UV radiation, and the exposure can be intense. Because the skin may darken without an immediate burn, people may underestimate the harm, but the underlying UV damage still contributes to aging and cancer risk. How to lower your UV risk Avoiding intentional tanning is the safest choice, but if you spend time outside, these steps can reduce UV-related skin damage: Sunscreen is important, but it should not be treated as permission to stay in the sun indefinitely. It works best as one part of a broader protection plan that also includes shade, clothing, hats, sunglasses, and attention to how long you have been outside. • Avoid the sun from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., when UV rays are strongest. • Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30, and reapply it after swimming, sweating, or extended time outdoors. • With all medications, you should be reading or asking your doctor or pharmacist if there are any implications of being exposed to UV rays. Some medicines can trigger adverse side effects when a person is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, primarily long-wave UVA rays. There are dozens of common medications that can trigger these responses, including specific antibiotics (like doxycycline), NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen), blood pressure medications, cholesterol-lowering statins, and retinoids. So be safe and check with the professionals before taking any meds. • Avoid prolonged sun exposure in one session because sunburn may not be obvious until later. • Wear a hat and sunglasses with 99–100% UVA and UVB protection to protect the scalp and eyes. • Drink plenty of water and take regular breaks
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