July is UV Awareness month and it came at a perfect time to coincide with the summer weather engulfing southeast Saskatchewan. 

With the sunshine, heat and high UV index factors, people need to be taking care of their skin, much like they would any other part of their body. 

"I think the most important thing is for people to think of it as a daily practice to protect their skin. It's very similar to brushing your teeth – your teeth are for a lifetime and your skin is for a lifetime," said Dermatologist Dr. Jennifer Beecker. "People who are going outside every day should be wearing sunscreen."

Not only can prolonged exposure to the sun cause sunburns and heat stroke, but it can also do lasting damage to your skin, cells and DNA. The best way to avoid those is by wearing sunscreen, covering up and avoiding peak times of the day. 

"The sun is actually radiation, just like if you get radiation from a factory or a lot of X-rays. Over time that damages cells and DNA. When you get that cell and DNA damage, they have less and less ability to repair themselves," Dr. Beecker explained. "The radiation from the sun, when it makes mutations in your DNA of your cells it predisposes you to getting skin cancer. Photoaging and skin cancer are the main risks from the sun."

She said the Sun Awareness Working Group for the Canadian Dermatology Association recommends at least SPF 30 for anyone who will be in the sun for an extended amount of time. However, fair-skinned people can go even higher for added protection. 

Even if you're just out mowing the lawn, picking weeds, gardening or watching your kids' soccer game, people have to be wary of how much sun they're getting, especially in a heatwave. 

Dr. Beecker advised outdoor chores be done earlier in the morning or in the evening to avoid the hottest times and the peak sunshine of the day. 

"People underestimate how much sun we get just from daily life. We don't think about how much sun exposure we get from doing our everyday things," she noted. "We usually don't plan our day around the sun, but we really should."

UV indexes have hovered around eight and nine over the past week, which is rated as very high on the scale. Children need to be cautious as well with getting too much sun as they enjoy the summertime. Dr. Beecker added young kids and babies can use the same sunscreen as adults and it may even be more crucial that they cover-up. 

Lastly, she said anyone experiencing a sunburn or heat stroke should immediately get into the shade and apply a cold towel to the area and drink plenty of water.