Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Get Burned: Smart Tanning Tips
Tips
Hawaii's Caucasian population has the highest incidence of malignant
melanoma (deadly skin cancer) in the world. And nobody is completely
safe from the sun's harmful rays: All skin types and tones can burn. Dr.
Craig Thomas, author of
All Stings Considered,
says, “The risk of
melanoma is even worse with intermittent sun exposure than it is with
long-term exposure; the worst thing you can do is to go to the tropics
once a year for 10 years and get burned.” To ensure that your vacation
won't be ruined by a painful sunburn (especially in your first few days
in the islands), here are some helpful tips.
•
Wear a strong sunscreen at all times.
Use a sunscreen with a sun-
protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher; people with a light com-
plexion should use 30. Apply it liberally; 1 tablespoon per limb is
recommended, and reapply every 2 hours.
•
Block UVA and UVB rays.
Wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of
premature aging can be caused by Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. For
years, sunscreens concentrated on blocking out just Ultraviolet B
(UVB) rays. The best protection from UVA rays is zinc oxide (the
white goo that lifeguards wear on their noses), but other ingredi-
ents also provide protection. Read the label, and get another brand
if your sunscreen doesn't contain one of the following: zinc oxide,
benzophenone, oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, titanium dioxide, or
avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789).
•
Wear a hat and sunglasses.
The hat should have a brim all the way
around, to cover not only your face but also the sensitive back of
your neck. Make sure your sunglasses have UV filters.
•
Protect your children from the sun.
Infants under 6 months should
not be in the sun at all. Older babies need zinc oxide to protect their
fragile skin, and all children should be slathered with sunscreen
frequently.
•
If you start to turn red, get out of the sun.
Contrary to popular
belief, you don't have to turn red to tan; if your skin is red, it's
burned, and that's serious. The best remedy for a sunburn is to get
out of the sun immediately and stay out of the sun until all the red-
ness is gone. Aloe vera (straight from the plant or from a commer-
cial preparation), cool compresses, cold baths, and anesthetic
benzocaine also help with the pain of sunburn.
sunrise, sunset, or where the water is
murky due to stream runoff—sharks
may mistake you for one of their usual
meals; and don't swim where there are
bloody fish in the water, as sharks
become aggressive around blood.
SEASICKNESS
The waters in
Hawaii can range from calm as glass
(off the Kona Coast on the Big Island)
to downright frightening (in storm
conditions), and they usually fall
somewhere in between. In general,
expect rougher conditions in winter
than in summer. Some 90% of the
population tends toward seasickness.
If you or your kids have never been
