Protect yourself!

I cant say this enough Protect yourself, I’m not talking about dirty minded stuff or about protecting your internet account. NOPE! I’m talking about protecting your body. I want to see you guys get old and happy so please take a few minutes to read this blog.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of protecting yourself against the sun with sun protection. Eucerin sun asked me to make people aware of the dangers of the sun next to the good things the sun brings us. I mean without Sun no life on earth as easy as that. The sun also brings some negative side effects on people. Especially people who are exposed to the sun more regularly. Thes people have a bigger chance of skin cancer for example. As a pilot and outdoor sportsman, I’m exposed almost every day to the sun and because of the job going to places where the sun is very strong.

When I worked as a wakeboard instructor I always put sunscreen on because it could a sunburn could happen so fast. Last week I visited my old job and I spoke with one of the new instructors who forgot to put sunscreen on a few days before. He was completely red and burned, I asked him why he didn’t put anything on? He answered me that the sun was not that strong and there where clouds from time to time. I told him to put it on even if it is cloudy. Sometimes the rays are so strong they easily go through the clouds so be protected be safe. I do a lot of outdoor sports and always put some on before doing sports. The Eucerin sun protect is waterproof so I don’t have to be afraid of it washing off. It can be as easy as that.

As a pilot, I had the feeling I was always protected against the sun because of the windows and he what could happen right? During a walk around I’m outside for just a few seconds right? WRONG!!! Eucerin challenged me to just take a timer one day on duty to see how often you are exposed to the sun on an average day. So I did. The answer:  give or take about 4.5 hours that day. That’s about 2.5 hours more than I expected. This was not even the worst part of it all. I never knew that windows of cars/houses or aircraft did not protect me from UV-A rays that even come through the windows. The UV-A rays are so strong they can modify your skin texture and can cause skin cancer as well. So I started using sunscreen every morning before the day starts and if I have the feeling I’m exposed more than normal to the sun I put it again on during the day. In the video below I was waiting for the fueling to be completed, we have to wait for that outside sometimes like on the video in Italy. Again 20 minutes in the burning sun.

Now you know the importance of putting on sun protection. Now let’s talk a little more about a thing you could do to prevent skin cancer.

  • Put on Sun protect (Eucerin I use) best is to do it half an hour before getting into the sun.
  • If exposed to the sun a lot: re-apply sunscreen every +- 2 hours.
  • When the Sun (11:00 till 16:00) is the strongest wear clothing that covers the skin.
  • Get GOOD sunglasses, sunglasses protect the eyes and they are so damn important.
  • Wear a hat, especially when you have thin hair or no hair at all.
  • Water/sand/snow are reflecting sunlight so it goes double as fast to burn near these things.
  • Get into the shade is always good. Not only to cool but also to not be directly exposed to the sun.

I hope this blog is an eye-opener for all of you! For all aviators that read my blogs, I have something Extra. Eucerin sun opened a website with a very nice competition that you could attend. If you attend this competition you can win some nice trips, sunscreen, and concert tickets. Just visit the website it might be something for you? (CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE EUCERIN-PILOT WEBSITE)

 

 

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