SLIP SLOP SLAP

SUN EXPOSUREWhy Slip,Slop,Slap?o Prevention is better than cure, and what better way to protect yourself from the beaming sun than to follow the ‘Slip,Slop,Slap’ method.oAnother way to avoid too much sun exposure and risking sunburn is to avoid the sun between 10AM-4PM, this is when the sun is at its strongest.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMSWhat are the signs and symptoms of sunburn?•Itchy skin•Redness•Pain•Swelling•Headache/Nausea•Fever/Chills•Tingling and Irritation

CURE What to do if you have been sunburned• Remove child right away from the sun•Place them in a cool bath or apply a cool compresses of ice wrapped in a cloth•Drink plenty of water for the next two days•If needed, anti-inflammatory medication should be given to relieve any pain.•Aloe gel is a cool gel that relieves pain quickly•When going outside it is important to cover all sunburned areas to fasten healing process.

oSUNBURNSunburn is the result of too much sun exposure. Sun burn will occur if you are in the sun for too long without taking precautions such as wearing long sleeves, sunglasses, sun block and a hat.

SLIP Slip on as much clothing as you can to cover your skin. Things like long sleeve shirts and high collars are a great way to protect you from the sun.

Be sure to choose clothing made out of cotton as they are very effective in protecting you from sun exposure.

SLOPBe sure to use sun block containing SPF 30+ as this will provide long lasting protection.Sun block should be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure and then reapplied every 2 hours after that.

SLAPIt is very important to wear a hat whilst under the sun. A hat provides protection to your nose, face, neck and ears which are all easy targets of the sun. Sunglasses are also another way to protect you against getting sunburned.

SEEK To further avoid getting sun burnt, it is a good idea to seek shade or shelter. Trees or shelters, together with sunglasses are a great form of protection that avoid UV radiation and therefore reflect the sun.

SUNBURN HOTSPOTS

•Where are the most common places people are likely to get sunburned?oWorking outdoorsoPlaying or watching sportoBeing outside in summer. E.g. Parks, beachoIn the car

WORKING OUTDOORS

• People who work as laborers, tradesmen, construction site managers, builders and traffic controllers face 5-10 times more chance of getting sunburned. As they are in the sun all day, these group of people will need to develop a sun protection program in order to avoid sunburn.

SPORTS GAMES•Playing or watching sports is a very common hobby today. As many people find sports interesting it is more than likely they spend hours in the sun not realizing they face potential risk of becoming sun burned. Sun block and a hat are essential in protecting your skin against the harsh sun.

IN THE CAR•People travel in their car everyday and this is a very popular place to be in contact with the sun. Cars provide good protection against the sun however you still run the risk of being sunburned if in there for a long time. Sunscreen should be applied and window protectors are also effective to block out the sun.

DON’T FORGET TO ALWAYS

‘SLIP,SLOP,SLAP’!