Keeping Your Skin Protected from the Ravages of UV Radiation

Naples fishing charters want anglers visiting Florida’s southwest coast to not get burned by the sun’s intense rays

They don’t call it the “Sunshine State” for nothing…

While the sunshine is a welcome site for many visitors to Naples, it carries some risks that you need to be mindful of to ensure your skin isn’t burned. A severe enough sun burn that leads to blisters can be incredibly painful. Prolonged exposure can lead to wrinkly skin and premature aging.

If you expose yourself to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays long enough, you can eventually develop cancerous melanoma cells, which left untreated, can be fatal. In 2005, over 1 million Americans were diagnosed with skin cancer.

Although the sun’s rays can be harmful if you go out on the water without protection, there are precautionary steps you can take to ensure you still have a good time but not suffer from painful blisters and peeling after you return.

Continue reading for a few tips on keeping your skin protected from the ravages of UV radiation while aboard fishing charters in Naples.

Keep your skin covered, especially your arms and legs. Clothing made from darker, tightly woven materials will do a much better job of absorbing UV radiation. Regular cotton t-shirts for example offer little to no protection despite you being covered up. If your clothes get wet, change them out as soon as possible since wet clothes reduce the level of protection you’re getting. You can also purchase clothing with UV protection built in. Clothes you should be wearing on fishing charters in Naples include a wide-brim hat that covers your face, neck and ears, along with a long-sleeved shirt and long pants.

Wear sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. Anything over 30 SPF will offer much better protection though. While there are many sunscreens that are sweat and water proof, you should still reapply every 2 hours in normal circumstances and every hour if you’re sweating a lot. Make sure you’re using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both types of UV radiation (UVA and UVB). Not all sunscreens are created equally – while some may prevent sunburn, they will not prevent cancer.

Also, make sure you apply your first layer about 30 minutes before setting out so it can have time to absorb into your skin. When applying your sunscreen, pay close attention to your ears and the tops of your feet if you’re going barefoot. Areas on the head and neck account for 80% of skin cancer cases according to statistics.

Wear sunglasses that have lenses rated to block 99 to 100% of the sun’s harmful UV rays. Besides damaging your skin, UV rays can be devastating for your eyes. Wearing UV sunglasses will not only help protect your eyesight, they will keep you from having to squint in the bright Florida sun all day.

Don’t think you’re safe just because the weather is cloudy. UV rays can penetrate through clouds and be just as damaging as a clear day. In fact, fishing charters see the worst sunburns on cloudier days since people are more lax about covering up and putting on sunscreen.

If at all possible, stay indoors or in the shade between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. This is probably an impractical option aboard fishing charters, so be sure you’re well covered and have adequate sunscreen on.

If the boat has a covered area, go stand in the shade every so often. Many fishing charters have an indoor cabin, but most have at least some covered area where you can get out of the sun for a few minutes.

You need to be even extra careful if you’re taking certain antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, or blood pressure medications, or if you’re currently undergoing chemotherapy. If possible, speak with your physician before your trip to determine how any medications may affect your skin.

Image courtesy of "Axelv" via Wikimedia

While these tips should be considered whether you’re at home working in your yard or doing everyday things, they are doubly important out on the open water since the water’s surface reflects UV rays back into the air. Many patrons aboard fishing charters in Naples have taken all kinds of precautions to protect themselves just to find out later they were burned under their chin and around the neck because they didn’t account for the reflecting rays.

If you’re planning to fishing aboard one of many charters operating out of Naples, be sure you bring your own sunscreen, hat, long-sleeve shirt and sunglasses.

Naples Fishing Boat provides charters both inshore and offshore along southwest Florida’s Gulf coast. To learn more about what you need to bring to ensure you have a good time and return home safely, please visit http://www.naplesfishingboat.com/ or feel free to contact us today with any questions.