One of the biggest parts of British culture is the weather – talking about it, moaning about it, getting up in the morning to torrential rain and finishing the day to blinding sunlight. Living in a country where most of the year is grey and dreary many of us find ourselves longing for good summer days. News articles flood our phones and TV’s and fill us with excitement ‘expected heatwave from Europe due to hit Britain’ ‘Met office predicts months long Indian summer’. We are filled with hope and often times let down when the rain continues. However, as the climate is changing us Brits are having to get used to a different type of summer, with record heat in the last few years of Britain getting up to 40 degrees in July 2022. In a country that is often prepared for rain and drizzle – it comes as no surprise that some of us Brits just aren’t prepared for such hot days. Here’s some suggestions of how to safely and effectively enjoy the new heats that we might face:
1) Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen!!!
Yes, we’ve said it three times because that’s how important it is. With the rates of skin cancer in Britain more than doubling since the 1990’s it is now more important than ever to start wearing sunscreen. More specifically the rates with men have almost tripled – this is most likely because men are more likely to work outside than women. It is so important to wear suncream, cover up and get some time in the shade – and even resort to the tan in a bottle if you like a nice glow. Many aestheticians are now advising people to wear SPF all year round. It’s also important to know your skin can be damaged by the sun even on a cloudy or colder day. With the amount of choice for SPF and none of us exactly knowing what SPF levels mean, it’s good to have some basic knowledge. Here are some tips for using and picking your sunscreen well:
- Use a sunscreen that protects not only from UVA’s but also UVB. (Ultraviolet A (UVA) has a longer wavelength. It is associated with skin aging. Ultraviolet B (UVB) has a shorter wavelength. It is associated with skin burning (The skin cancer foundation).
- Use a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30. This blocks 97% of the UVB rays hitting your skin. If you want the best protection, use SPF 50 which allows 2% of UVBs to hit your skin.
- Use water resistant sunscreen if you are going swimming.
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.
- Don’t use tanning oil … and if you must, use it alongside of a separate SPF protection.
- If you do burn your skin, get out of the sun as quick as possible and stay in the shade until it has healed. Take a cold shower to cool down the skin and make sure you use after sun and rehydrate.
2) Tackle your hay fever
Hay fever is a common allergy and can be worse some summers or times of the year due to high pollen count. Hay fever can cause itchy or irritable skin, burning or watering eyes, feeling swollen, headaches and fatigue. Hay fever can really affect someone’s quality of enjoyment in summer so here are some tips to manage your hay fever this summer:
- Use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) around your eyes and nostrils to trap the pollen.
- Wear things such as a wide brimmed hat, wraparound sunglasses or even a mask to avoid the pollen making contact with your nose and eyes.
- Keep your windows and doors shut.
- Dust and hoover – top tip – use a damp cloth for dusting.
- Shower as soon as you get inside and change and wash your clothes to get the pollen off of your body and clothing.
- Use antihistamines or nasal sprays – speak to your local pharmacist if you need some support.
3) Bugs and ticks
Living in the rural countryside, as many of us do in this area, bug bites and tick bites are something to be aware of. And summer is prime time for tick season as many of us like to get out in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside for long walks. A tick is a small bug that is similar to a small spider and they feed on the blood of mammals including wildlife and also us humans! Some ticks carry a bacteria than can cause Lyme disease so it is important to be aware of them (don’t worry – not all tick bites lead to further disease). If you have a tick bite you must remove the tick as quickly and carefully as possible either with a special tick removing devise or with fine toothed tweezers and then clean and wash the area with antiseptic creams or wipes. Call your GP practice if you have been bitten by a tick and have any of the following symptoms:
- A pink or red rash
- A temperature of over 38 degrees
- Flu like symptoms, a headache or joint pain
- Swollen lymph nodes
How to best avoid tick and bug bites?
- Keep to footpaths and avoid walking in long grass
- Wear long sleeves and trousers and protective clothing
- Wearing lighter coloured fabric may make it easier to spot a tick on your clothes
- Use insect repellent
- Check your skin for ticks after being outside
- Check your children’s skin (hot spots to check are around the head and neck area – especially the scalp)
- Check your pets are not bringing ticks in from their fur
4) Stay hydrated
Many of us love to enjoy the long summer days sat in a beer garden or having friends over to share a sangria. Nice weather is not always a luxury us Brits have so it’s no surprise some of us can tend to get a little over excited when it happens – not to mention with the sun sets being as late as 10pm, it can be easy to lose track of time or realise how late it is. It is important that we try to limit our alcohol intake when we are sat outside in the sun so as not to get dehydrated. In summer it’s always a good idea to drink lots of water, eat foods with high water content (lots of fruit), carry a water bottle with you and check the colour of your urine. It’s also important to know the signs of dehydration before it’s too late:
- Feeling thirsty
- Dark yellow strong smelling urine
- Going to the loo less often
- Dry mouth, or lips
- Sunken eyes
- Feeling fatigued
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Signs of dehydration in babies
- Sunken eyes
- Few or no tears when they cry
- Less wet nappies than usual
- Being drowsy and irritable
- A sunken soft spot on top of their head
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If you need any further advice about staying safe in the summer please look at the NHS website for more information: www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/suncreen-and-sun-safety/
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