In the Shadow: Protect Your Skin from the Sun on Groundhog's Day

Date: 2017-02-02

ST. LOUIS, MO (February 2, 2017) – Every year on Feb. 2, Americans wait to see if Punxsutawney Phil will emerge and see his shadow and bring with it six more weeks of winter. Even though he saw his shadow this year, sun safety should be a priority because skin damage accumulates over the course of a lifetime. The health experts at Envolve, an integrated healthcare solutions company, have put together a few tips to help you keep your skin safe from damaging rays no matter what time of year it is. 

  1. Lather up the little ones. For babies younger than six months old, sunscreen should be used on exposed areas such as hands, face and neck. Ideal sun protections for babies are clothing, hats, etc. – many of which now come with extra UV protection within the fabric.
  2. Tans don’t protect you. You’re still at risk if you never burn, because a tan indicates damage to your skin. But if you do get sunburnt, just one burn can double your chance of developing melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society’s Skin Cancer Advisory Group.
  3. Drive safely. Glass filters out UVB rays, but UVA rays can still get through. Studies show that most adults have more freckles on their left side than their right from UV exposure on that side through their car window when driving. Bonus points if you have tinted windows – they keep out almost four times more UVA light than regular ones.
  4. Protect yourself on cloudy days. Sunburns are common on overcast days if you spend time outside with no sun protection. Up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through the clouds, according to the Skin Cancer Advisory Group. Wear long sleeves and a hat that provides shade to your face, ears and neck.
  5. Wear shades. Protect your eyes and vision by wearing polarized sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UV rays.

About Envolve, Inc.®

Envolve, Inc.® is a family of health solutions, working together to make healthcare simpler, more effective and more accessible for everyone. As an agent for change in healthcare, Envolve is committed to transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. Envolve unifies specialty pharmacyPBMvisiondental24/7 nurse advice servicesdiabetes managementMSO solutions, and more. For more information, please visit our website www.envolvehealth.com or contact us at mediainquiries@envolvehealth.com.