Thursday, July 18, 2013

Artificial Red

Vacation week ran coincidentally with my annual time to get a sunburn.

You'd think these two weren't exclusive but they can be.

Oddly, I thought I miss my burning opportunity this year.  With 2-3 dog walks per day and cutting the lawn at least once per week, I thought I had built up a nice base coat.

Add to the fact that I try to put on 15 SPF on my bald head and face daily, I was hoping I had beaten the odds.

When we got to Maine, I slathered up with 30 and 50 - whichever one was at hand. And as you saw in the video, we had some very cloudy and foggy days.  I'm not even sure there was a chance for UV rays to get through to burn me - not that my shirt really came off those days.  And my hat went with me most everywhere.

Alas, on the last full day - Friday - it was beautiful, sunny and hot. I braved it and went out uncovered.  SPF-speaking, that is.

I didn't get very far, as Rebecca, being a mother, made me put some on. Actually, she put it on me - on my back.

We, however, did not get my front....as you can see.

The pic was taken Sunday evening, two and one-half days after two walks on the beach, one swim in the ocean, a few hours of sitting around the pool (mostly under an umbrella-ella-ella) and a quick dip in the actual pool.

It only hurt for one shower - that Saturday morning one.  Other than that, it looks worse than it is, though today is Thursday and it looks only slightly less red. I think it will turn to a nice brown.

And just so I'm not chastised, I've been putting 50 on me when I go cut the lawn or take Petey for a walk.

Why risk it?



Song by: Mad Season

4 comments:

BosGuy said...

Finally getting caught up in my reading and it looks like you had a great time in Ogunquit. The weather has been great all July so I'm glad the weather cooperated. If you come back next year let's connect for another beer in Boston.

Anonymous said...

Here's the deal with spf. 15 or 100 gives the same protection it's just the length of time it protects that varies. Say Madonna is a 1 and Janet is a 5 a 15 would last Madonna 15 minutes before she'd have to reapply. Janet could go 2hrs and yes most non caucasian people need to apply SPF for protection and most do so they don't get darker.

Always apply before you go out as it takes up to 30 minutes for your skin to absorb the lotion. Apply often, more if you're sweating and right after getting out of the water. No one should go more than 2 hrs without reapplying. And don't leave the bottle of lotion in the sun or car because the heat will break it down and make it less effective or not at all. Never use the opened bottle left over from last year.

Also, the higher the number the thicker and harder on your skin it is. Generally, Blobby, with your pigment, you should used SPF 30 and reapply every 2 hrs or less and that is the best advice for most everyone.

AND!!!!!!!! Cloudy days can have very high UV index rates so always apply. And hats and shade is not enough as UV rays bounce off reflective surfaces like cement or sand.

Finally, UV A ages and B burns. A will give you wrinkles and B gives you your tan. Products that protect against C are a bit misleading in that it doesn't come through the atmosphere yet but when it does, it is so deadly that it won't matter what SPF you use cause we'll all be dead.

Erik Rubright said...

Rock Lobster!

rebecca said...

My God, man!