the sun has got his hat on..

So if you're anything like me, i'm sure your making the most of the glorious sunshine. We all know the sun makes us feel great, but i think it's important that people know the dangers.

I will bet that a lot of you who have been out in the sun will not have worn suncream. I cannot count the amount of facebook status' i have read about people being sunburnt.

Stupid as it sounds, i'm actually terrified of sunburn. Like actually scared. I remember a while ago having a conversation with my dad about suncream which has stayed with me and from then i have always been really careful when going out in the sun.

The sun is a fantastic thing. I looove summer BBQ's, waterfights and bike rides and i do love reading a good book by a pool. The sun gives us vitamin D which has many health benefits, one of which making us feel happier and healthier.

When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it produces a pigment called melanin to help protect itself against UV light. Darker skin has more menalin, whereas fair skin has very little. This is what makes your skin go darker- AKA your lovely golden tan. A tan is actually a sign of damage to the skin.

Sunburn is literally a burn of the skin. However, most of the damage that is done before you notice it. Your skin peels because the body wants to get rid of damaged cells as they are at risk of becoming cancer. Sunburn is dangerous because not only does it affect these cells which are shed, it can penetrate into the underneath layers of skin which will prevent them from shedding in the future when you get sunburn again.

I know this is all very factual and boring but i really want people to know what it's all about.

I'm sure you all know that too much exposure to the sun can be a cause of skin cancer. You can also get a condition called actinic keratoses, which is where you get growths on your face and hands.

And i think the worse part, well, for all you beauty fanatics, is probably skin aging. Skin becomes leathery and shows pigmentation irregularities. It's more prone to wrinkles and bruising as it will be thinner. Some celebs swear by factor 50 everyday claiming that it is the reason for their beautiful skin.

Put some research into your skin type and how much exposure you are likely to be facing. It doesn't hurt to prepare your skin using suncream just 15 minutes before you go out in it, you won't regret it in the future.

I know this is a bit of a nag, please, go out and enjoy the sun (while you still can!) but i just wanted to remind people to just slap on some suncream..