Did you put on your sunscreen today?
The last few months, California weather has been hotter then usual, reaching temperatures up to 100 degrees. The seasons are changing but the weather is staying the same: hot. Students are out in the sun on a regular basis walking or biking to class. Protecting one’s skin may be the last thing on their mind after classes, exams, and homework.
One thing that students should be remembering to do in this heat is to drink water. Water is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, it makes up 70% of the human body; water keeps your brain functioning as well as ridding your body of any toxins and hydrating your skin. It is very important that the body and brain keep hydrated during this heat wave, especially college students who need their brain to function while in classes all day long.
As well as wear sunscreen to protect your skin. Skin cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, according to SkinCancer.org College students need to be aware of these risks.
Brenda Rodriguez, a certified aesthetician, expressed her daily requests from her patients asking for sun damage treatment.
“My clients all come in and have sun spots and wrinkles due to the sun damage in their younger years,” she said. One thing she always pushes her clients to walk out the door with is sunscreen with “an SPF of at least 45.”
Heather Helberg, 24, major undecided, has had to deal with sun damage to her skin at a young age. She expressed that she had to have a mole removed because it was cancerous. “I never thought it would happen to me but you never know, you have to take action at a young age.”
Students need to make it a priority to put on SPF 45 on everyday before going out in the sun. Those few minutes lathering up can safe you a lifetime of pain due to skin cancer or even ones life.
Summer may be over but this heat is definitely not going anywhere anytime soon. Walking around campus can be hard in this heat but as long as you have some ice water in hand and some good SPF you can beat the heat.
