As the weather begins to warm up many of us cannot wait to get outside and enjoy the warmth and sunshine. Many of us have experienced sunburn from being outside in the sun for too long and not properly protecting our skin. Being in the sun can cause damage to your skin if preventive measure are not taken, which can eventually lead to skin cancer or wrinkles.
There are many ways to go about preventing sunburn and protecting your skin from the damaging UV exposure. The first step in protecting yourself from sunburn is to wear proper clothing. Proper clothing includes a had with a wide brim that will shade your ears, scalp, neck, and eyes. Sunglasses with UV protection will also help protect your eyes from sun damage, or cataracts. Wearing loose clothing that covers your arms and legs will help reduce your skins exposure to the suns UV rays.
For those with children, it is very important to protect them from sunburn, as most of their exposure to the sun occurs under 18 years of age. Keeping children out of the sun from 10- 4pm if possible is recommended, as the sun is at its prime. Once again as with adults, proper clothing and sunglasses should be worn to prevent sunburn in young children.
For both children and adults, it is a given that we will not completely stay out of the sun. 
While in the sun you will also want to protect your skin with a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. It is extremely important in children to use sunscreen because their skin is still very sensitive. When you are near water or at higher elevations it is recommended that you use a sunscreen with a higher level of SPF.
Too much exposure to the sun without proper protection can cause more than just a bad sunburn. It can lead to damaging skin cells, or even the formation of cancerous skin cells. If you notice that after getting in from the sun that you have blistering, feel dizzy or nauseous, or have a fever or chills, chances are that you are experiencing sun poisoning. To help reduce the symptoms of sun poisoning caused from sunburn or too much sun exposure, use a cooling aloe Vera gel, drink a lot of water to rehydrate your body. If you begin to feel faint, experience swelling in your face, or notice blisters forming in large areas contact a medical professional immediately.
