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Post by daylilydude on Apr 24, 2019 4:45:08 GMT -5
It's fixing to get hotttt for some gardeners and was wondering about how you protect yourself from the sun... what do you do?
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Post by coppice on Apr 24, 2019 5:05:12 GMT -5
Work under a potting shed when ever I can find the excuse. Failing that my last engineer cap will go on backwards.
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Post by paulf on Apr 24, 2019 7:46:30 GMT -5
As a youth I was a sun worshiper and wore shorts and no shirt as often as possible. As age came upon me I began wearing a shirt most of the time. As an oldster a t-shirt is always on and sometimes even a long sleeved shirt in the bright sun. I have what is called a farmer's tan. I keep hearing about how dangerous the sun is to skin health, but shorts and t-shirts are the normal clothing from April to November for me. And never being a hat person, the three or four wide brimmed hats hang on the hooks and gather dust.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 24, 2019 7:51:20 GMT -5
Oil of Olay makes a facial moisturizer that is SPF15 and I use that on my face every day year round. It does not feel or smell like sunscreen but if I plan on spending significant time in the garden, I wear real sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 on my face, back of neck and arms.
I always wear a ladies sized baseball cap when I am outside. It keeps my hair from blowing around but it also shades my eyes and face.
I also wear sunglasses whenever I am outside and it is sunny. I am very light sensitive but sunglasses also protect against cataracts so I would wear them anyway.
I always wear gloves when gardening to protect my hands from dirt and scratches but they also protect the back of my hands from getting too much sun.
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Post by pondgardener on Apr 24, 2019 8:44:40 GMT -5
I just had suspicious areas on both arms burned off by my personal physician, along with the suggestion to start wearing long sleeved shirts and sunscreen. Short sleeve t-shirts used to be all I would wear, along with a pair of shorts, for all my outside activity. My glass lenses change with increased sunlight, so I think I am ok there. I wear a military type "boonie" hat outside at all times, as my receding hair line offers no protection from harmful rays. So besides having a long sleeved shirt hanging outside the patio door, I have enlisted my wife to give me hell when she sees me outside without a long sleeved shirt on. Working around the ponds the sleeves usually get wet and is hotter than I would like but is better than the prospect of dealing with skin cancer.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 24, 2019 9:26:58 GMT -5
I wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and use a face moisturizer with sunscreen. I have an Aveeno product with SPF 20, which is enough protection with the wide-brimmed hat unless I am going to be out for many hours.
I do wear shorts, but I always wear a shirt with short sleeves, NO tank tops or strappy tops, because I hate, hate, hate sunburn on my shoulders and upper back. So I have those "lovely" tan lines on my arms and legs all the time. I keep my hair long and just tie enough of the top back to keep my hair out of my face, while leaving most of my hair loose to protect the back of my neck from the sun.
I wear gloves, too, but they are not for sun protection, but to protect my skin from scratches and calluses. As a result, the backs of my hands stay paler than my forearms, but thankfully I don't have sharp tan lines at the wrists, too.
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Apr 24, 2019 9:47:09 GMT -5
I wear long sleeve shirts by Columbia. They are specially vented and quick drying. I have a bush hat and my glasses have transition lens. Back when I could still were contacts I wore sunglasses with them. After a lifetime of mostly working outside I avoid sun a lots nowadays.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Apr 24, 2019 9:53:05 GMT -5
That's totally me. Last summer there was a day where I was out in the garden all day wearing a tank top, and I felt myself getting sunburned. It felt SO GOOD. And I said as much. When I saw my mom the next day and she commented on how burned I was the words that came out were "But it felt soooo good." And then she told me a story about how my grandfather worked in road construction and when he came home from work sometimes on a hot summer day he would literally smell like cooked meat. Of course, that sunburn did not feel so good for a good week as it blistered up and was quite uncomfortable. When we travel south I do tend to put on sunscreen- we use Australian sunscreen. We use Blue Lizard Sport, which is a mineral based sunscreen and seems to work very well for us. I love that we're not slathering on loads of chemicals that get absorbed into our bodies.
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Post by september on Apr 24, 2019 10:00:20 GMT -5
I wear tank tops, shorts and flip flops, so I lather up with sunscreen if I'm going to be out a while. I don't like hats on the top of my head and have about 8 versions that I have tried. Instead I have a cobbled up visor with a scarf clipped to each side in back that protects my neck. If I am weeding or doing something sitting in one area, I have a large portable beach type umbrella that I move with me to keep in the shade. I love it! It has an adjustable base, can be staked down if it's too windy, but I rarely need to use more than one stake.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 24, 2019 10:00:28 GMT -5
I use a spf 50 spray, and rub it all over my arms (after spaying my legs, as well), so I get it all over my hands (before they are dirty, of course), and smear it all over my face, the back of my neck, and my EARS - something people often forget about, but how many times do you see sunburned people with those red ears sticking out! Fortunately, this is the time of year I don't have to keep applying the sunscreen, due to sweating, but I have a can of it in the shed, for when I do. I'm not a hat person - being 6'6", I hit my head on enough things, without adding more height, even just a half an inch. I wear cheap sunglasses that won't fall off. Normally, in the summer, I only work out there when the sun is on the other side of the house - early in the front, late in the back.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 24, 2019 10:53:18 GMT -5
6'6", wow, pepperhead212! We would look funny together. I claim 5'2" but I may be stretching. I don't worry about bumping my head, but I have to ask people to get stuff off the top shelf. You're absolutely right about the ears. Ear sunburns are no fun. When I tie back the hair at the top of my head I leave hair covering the tops of my ears, the ears covered, plus I wear that hat. When I swim I always use SPF 50 and never forget the tops of my ears. ladymarmalade, my dad was a brick mason so he was almost always outside, and this is the Florida sun he was out in every day. I don't recall him ever smelling like cooked meat after a hot summer day - but he DID smell! His only sun protection was a lightweight white T-shirt and a baseball cap. Although he had fair skin he could really tan and he had a deep, dark reddish tan all summer. That tan was quite striking against his baby blue eyes. There aren't too many folks with eyes that color who can tan as deeply as he did.
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Post by octave1 on Apr 24, 2019 11:37:49 GMT -5
I wear a wide brimmed hat, short sleeve shirt, shorts and gloves. The rest of me is liberally exposed to the sun, and I don't mind it al all. I neither tan nor burn anyway. I should/would wear sunscreen if it did not contain all sorts of nasty chemicals. I have also given up face moisturizer with SPF because it runs and make my eyes sting. When I start feeling uncomfortable out there I just stop doing what I am doing and go back inside.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 24, 2019 12:39:39 GMT -5
My Wife is constantly nagging me about this very subject. I don't like hats, I don't like sun glasses, (yes I'm supposed to wear them, I don't like them, But I have to. I don't like nasty ol' lotion/sunscreen on me either. I'm a short sleeve, shorts, flip flop fellow. Not the ones that go between your toes, they drive me nuts. I wear Under Armour sliders.
I quit wearing jeans back in my early 50's. I never thought I'd come out of jeans, but once you stop, you realize how uncomfortable they are.
I used to be a cotton tshirt guy, not so much anymore since I discovered Under Armour.
I've made it to this age and now I'm all about comfort.
I never used to even get the slightest bit red, but I take a BP pill that makes me sensitive to light. My eyes are very sensitive to light.
I guess if I wasn't so darn stubborn, I'd do better, but stubborn I am and I'm getting worse.
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reubent
Pro Member
Posts: 389
Joined: May 2011
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Post by reubent on Apr 24, 2019 14:53:39 GMT -5
More recent research is finding the truth. The sun is not bad for skin health at all, it's the saturated fat in the diet and chemicals on the skin surface that do harm. The sun itself is actually a skin cancer preventive if the other conditions are eliminated.
I never try to hide from the sunshine until it really gets too hot, then I just stay in the shade more or use cool water more if I really need to stay out in it. No sunburn as long as I get a few days of sun in spring when it's weaker and get a tan started. Then all day in strong sun later is still OK. Even though I'm white Caucasian I can get a tan so dark it makes me look mexican or indian. Often leave the shorts off when nobody's around to object and get it all over. I 'celebrate' world naked gardening day a lot more than one day a year. No big deal, just following grandpa Adam's way.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 24, 2019 15:53:09 GMT -5
I have also given up face moisturizer with SPF because it runs and make my eyes sting. octave1, I have used Oil of Olay moisturizer on my face for years but then about 3 years ago they changed the formula and it stung the skin on my face. I wrote to the company as did many other people and they brought back the old formula which they now call "Sensitive Skin" and it works well. No stinging. If I use a higher SPF sunscreen on my face it always burns so I use one made for babies. I would rather put a few chemicals on my skin that risk a skin cancer. My best friend and I used to lay in the sun as teenagers and she has had a melanoma removed and I have had a few non cancerous brown spots lasered off of my face. Dad had a skin cancer on his face that required radiation and hubby had a basal cell carcinoma removed from his forearm about 20 years ago. I make him wear sunscreen now and he likes the spray type like pepperhead212,
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 24, 2019 19:11:13 GMT -5
3 weeks from today I go to my dermatologist, for my yearly checkup - something everyone should do. She likes to talk gardening, and asks me what new things I have going every year.
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Post by september on Apr 24, 2019 21:32:22 GMT -5
I have an annual dermatologist visit at the beginning of June. I've had a couple of minor pre-cancerous spots removed, so I like to be safe and be checked every year. I used to tan too, up into my 20's, and later, although I didn't intentionally lay out, I got plenty of sun burn at the start of the summer when gardening or fishing from a boat. I have several long sleeved sun blocking shirts, with back vents etc, but I can't make myself wear them for long. I need to have my skin be open to the air when it's hot out, or I feel stifled and sweaty and itchy. I don't even like short sleeves or T shirts, only tank tops. I use from 30 to 50 SPF if I know I will be out for a while. The problem is when I run out for what should be 10 minutes and end up staying much longer.
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Post by spike on Apr 24, 2019 22:49:04 GMT -5
Aloe Vera when I am burnt to a crisp because I stupidly forget to protect myself.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Apr 25, 2019 9:29:47 GMT -5
Aloe Vera when I am burnt to a crisp because I stupidly forget to protect myself. I'm a big fan of the Aloe Vera with lidocaine in it to help numb the area.
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