Dazzer’s Top Tips
Today’s guest blog is by our experienced CareGiver Darren. He’d like to share his tips on how to keep ourselves and Kingsway Care Clients safe during the heatwave. Over to you Dazzer!
We all know the weather in the UK is very unpredictable and often catches us by surprise. But we need to remember some really important things to keep us safe and happy when the sun is shining.
I was a Body Shop sun champion back in the day. Here’s what I remember from when I was young, thin, and desirable!
Stay Hydrated
- Stay hydrated. This is super important as dehydration can create brain fog, aching muscles, irritability, lethargy, problems with internal organs, nasty urine, and your tongue sticking to the top of your mouth when you try and speak.
- Everyone is different but try to drink 1-2 litres of fluid, preferably water a day. Remember tea, coffee and alcohol are diuretics so they can dehydrate you.
One of our Kingsway Care Clients bought this genius water bottle to make sure she drinks enough water.
Sun Cream
- Slap on factor 30+ regularly. UV rays are much stronger than they used to be and so a higher factor is essential to stay safe from burning and long-term sun damage.
- There is no regulated numbering system for sun creams. So what could be an SPF 30 in one brand could be an SPF 15 in another. It is best to go for the “High” description rather than the numbers.
- Don’t rub in the cream. You need to have some sitting on your skin to protect it. Rubbing it in rubs it off.
- Keep reapplying. The protection wears off over time, especially if you are sweating. Don’t believe the “all-day” protection cosmetics and creams. Re-apply regularly.
- Some waterproof sun creams can cause prickly heat as the skin can’t sweat properly.
- The white stuff in sun creams is zinc. It acts as a block to the sun’s rays and that’s why many higher SPF products make you look like a Bondi Beach Surfer dude.
- You will still tan, but it takes longer, lasts longer, and is safer.
Cover-up
- There’s a reason the French call us “Roast Beef.” Brits tend to burn as they are worried they may never see the sun again and go all out.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat when in the midday sun and put a shirt on when it’s really strong. A higher thread count is important as the rays can still damage the skin through thin garments.
- Stay out of the direct sun between 10 and 3. This is recommended. But as we all know “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun”. If you do go out, only do so for short spells, wear high factor SPF, stay hydrated, and cover-up.
Sunglasses
- Sunglasses are really important to protect your eyes from UV rays. Most of the cheaper sunglasses don’t offer a lot of protection and I know some of the ones I have bought, pixilated everything so I can’t actually see properly. Check the UV protection when you buy them, keep the case they come in, and remember to use it to protect them, don’t sit on them, and don’t stuff them in your bag.
- Bigger lenses offer more protection.
I like driving in my car
- Don’t leave plastic water bottles in your car. The heat causes the water to absorb nasties from the plastic and can cause illness. Buy a chillable drinking bottle in aluminum or glass. Some bamboo ones are ok but some cheaper brands have been reported to use formaldehyde in the resin that binds the bamboo together.
- Ice sheets used to cover your windscreens in the winter are great sun visors in the summer too. Get a couple and wrap the car up. By preventing the sun from penetrating the glass, it reduces the buildup of the temperature inside the car. Like whitewashing the greenhouse to prevent overheating your tomatoes.
- Keep extra sunscreen, aftersun, and maybe even a cool pack in the car in case you need them.
Wrinkles
We all love the sun, but remember, going brown is your skin’s way of trying to protect you from damage. The main causes of wrinkles are sun damage, smoking, and alcohol.
What’s a wrinkle?
We have a fatty layer of elastin under the skin. This allows the skin to ping back to where it used to be after movement. Sun damage causes that layer to break down and clump. The skin falls between those clumps and Hey Voila! You have a wrinkle. Alcohol and smoking create the same result.
I know I’m a party pooper and I used to burn regularly until I knew better, and sometimes after.
A skin cancer scare two years ago shook me up and now it’s factor 50 all the way.
Talented Team
Thank you, Darren, for sharing those tips. We’re lucky that so many of our CareGivers have hidden talents and expertise that can support our Kingsway Care Clients to live well at home.
