Hot fun in the summertime means lots of activities in the great outdoors, especially when you’re out camping. An RV will take you to awesome places, and you can take the whole family or an entire troop of friends with you for some sunny summer shenanigans. 

There’s a good chance you already have plans of going for a quick dip, or maybe even some kayaking or fishing. Also, popular activities include hiking, hitting the bike trails, or taking a mountaineering course or two. 

As you’ll be spending a considerable amount of time outdoors, it’s important to think about taking good care of your skin. 

Too much sun can not only lead to heat stroke and exhaustion, but it can also lead to a host of other skin problems. The skin is the largest organ of the body, and skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.  

Exposure to way too much sun greatly increases your risk of skin cancer, so you have to take extra precautions, especially when you’re moving about outdoors under the hot sun.  

Seek Shade 

The sun is at its hottest from around 10 AM to about 3 to 4 PM, so try to avoid heavy activities or to stay outdoors for long at these times. 

Try to stay in the shade as much as you are able to. Keep in mind that the sun can just as easily reflect off of water and sand (and even snow in the wintertime).  

You can even set up extra canopies and tarps around your campsite for extra shade and shelter. 

Wear sunscreen 

Trust us on the sunscreen. Here are a few things you should remember when you’re about to break out that bottle of sunscreen and start applying: 

  • The “15” Rule. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside and use a product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. 
  • The more fair-skinned you are, the higher the SPF number sunscreen you need. If you feel your skin is dark enough, an SPF 15 is OK, but you should still use sunscreen. 
  • Pay attention to often-overlooked areas such as your ears, nose, neck, lips, and other hard-to-reach spots that still get hit by the sun. 
  • Generally, you need to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, but you may need to do so more frequently if you’re swimming or getting splashed with water a lot. If you are swimming or doing water activities, use a waterproof brand of sunscreen so you won’t have to reapply as often. 
  • Children should use a sunscreen brand of at least 30 SPF. If your babies are less than six months old, they shouldn’t be out and exposed to the harsh sun. 

Wear protective clothing 

The future’s so bright; you gotta wear shades. Keep in mind that your eyelids have really thin skin, so your eyes get better protection if you’re wearing a good pair of sunglasses when you’re walking around in the daytime. 

By “good”, we mean sunglasses that can block or absorb UV rays 99 to 100 percent of the time. 

Wide–brimmed hats also keep your face shaded so bring one of those as well. 

As for clothes, go for tightly woven long-sleeved shirts at least, and go for long pants instead of shorts. Consider getting special sun-protective clothing as these are designed specifically to block harmful ultraviolet rays. 

Stay hydrated 

Lastly, stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Keep a water bottle or two handy at all times. Your level of hydration directly correlates not just with skin health, but your overall wellness as well. 

Conclusion 

Summer is fun, and we sure wouldn’t want you to miss out on all the fun outdoor activities, especially as you go camping with your trusty RV in tow. 

But don’t forget to protect yourself from the harshest of the sun’s rays. All you need is a bit of planning and preparation. Watch out for the kids and the little ones as well.  

Keep your skin safe when you’re out RV camping with our friendly tips, and we wish you an awesome summer when you come by and visit us soon!